We were never brothers…
by Venka le fay
Summary: The Turtles find themselves in the clutches of an evil scientist named Dr. Farrell and his two mutant assistants. Can the Turtles escape and recover from the physical and mental torment he causes them, or will this destroy their brotherhood forever?
1. We were never brothers(part 1)

I don't own TMNT, this fic is purely for all intents created for my enjoyment and the enjoyment of my readers. TMNT in all its forms belongs to its respective creators, please support the official release.

 _ **A/N I decided to rewrite this fic. Partially to clean up the wording and grammar, as well as some moments that feel repeated or just don't make sense all together. And also because I feel the whole thing with Farrell was dealt with rather easily. The way he is depicted in the old TMNT RPG game he sounds like the TMNT equivalent to Josef Mengele. So while he isn't as dangerous as the Shredder, he is an extremely dangerous foe who would cause a lot of problems for the Turtles and Mutants in general. Particularly, if one actually considers how slippery Mengele himself was historical. So I wanted to really flesh him out as a villain and show just how depraved and inhuman he could be to mutant-kind aside from just having a trophy room filled with the body parts he has taken from the Mutant's he has killed.**_

* * *

How had it come to this? That was the one thought that burrowed its way through his mind as he woke up to find himself strapped to a metal table. Doing a quick assessment he found he had a lingering feeling of wooziness from the poison gas that had caused him to lose consciousness, but he was otherwise unharmed...at least for now. He did make note that his katana and the T-phone he had with him were gone. They were more than likely confiscated while he was unconscious. Being unable to communicate with allies who could come to their aid bugged him, but it couldn't be helped. The only hope of rescue they had was the tracking beacon that Donnie had activated on his T-Phone. That should warn April and Casey that the four of them were in danger...that is unless their captors managed to hack Donnie's T-Phone to shut the becon off. This of course which would be quite the feat considering all encryptions and protective ware that D had been installed on it. Still, there was always the probability. Glancing around the space where he was imprisoned it looked like they were trapped in a laboratory of some kind. All around him were various machines and computers that looked as though they were meant for torture and other horrific acts. It looked like the sort of place Donatello would have been at home in... that is if he had been a scientist from the depths of hell.

Speaking of brothers he worriedly glanced about them to see that they were all in the same situation he was. Raph had regained consciousness some time ago and was writhing in the straps tying him down to the table. Donnie was just regaining consciousness as his mahogany-brown eyes blearily opened, but they quickly became more alert as he became aware of their situation. Only Mikey was still in the bliss of unconsciousness, but the way he was muttering to himself in his sleep about seeing fifty-foot bunny rabbits suggested that he was starting to come around.

"Is everyone alright?" Leo asked his brothers in concern. "Raph… D, you guys aren't harmed are you?"

"We are strapped to a bunch of operating tables without our weapons," Raph yelled incredulously. "Does this look like we're alright?!"

"Well if Raph can complain, I'd say he's fine," Donnie commented with the usual dry wit he saved for such occasions. The blue-masked Turtle took this as confirmation both his first and second brothers were in good health for the time being at least.

"Okay then," Leo said as he turned to Donnie. "Any idea as to where we are?" Donnie just gave sigh before he gave a big wide smile at his oldest brother.

"Let me check my handy directory of secret science labs across New York!" The purple-masked turtled flippantly said, before his expression shifted to an irritated scowl and screeched "Obviously, I have no idea!" A common reaction whenever Leo demanded answers about situations that even the genius couldn't give.

"Ah!" Mikey screamed as he woke up. "The fifty-foot bunny rabbit is going to eat us because we don't have enough carrots!"

"It's alright Mikey…" Leo soothingly said. "It's just a dream."

"Oh man…" Mikey gasped as he calmed himself down and began to realize they were in unfamiliar surroundings. "Where the heck are we?"

"That is what we are trying to figure out," Raph sighed trying to get a handle on the situation. "This place can't belong to the Foot Clan since Karai has taken over, and the Shredder is dead. And it can't be the Kraang since most of them have broken free from Kraang Prime's influence following his death at the hands of the Triceratons. The only place I can think of is TCRI…it's possible it could be the EPF, but Bishop confirmed that General Griffen was court-martialed for his actions when Tokka came to Earth to find Chompy."

"That leaves only one other person," Donnie said darkly. "When I was held captive by Vizioso he had intended Mondo Gecko and myself to be vivisected and experimented on by a man named Dr. Farrell. When he failed to arrive, Vizioso got impatient and had one of the Fulci twins try to cut me open instead. Farrell may have been the person he was getting the Anti-mutant weapons from since he wasn't smart enough to come up with weapons that were exclusively harmful to mutants. Not without a lot of help, and even the three of you recognized the sort of weapons that were used when we were captured."

* * *

 _*Over an hour ago*_

 _The turtles were racing along the rooftops on their nightly patrol._

 _"Seriously why do we keep doing this?" Raph groused as he raced alongside his brothers. "The Foot's been reformed, the Kraang are defeated for good and all, the Purple Dragons have gone underground since they no longer have the Shredder's boots to lick, Tiger Claw and Fishface have gone their own way, Rocksteady and Bebop have decided to try out being good for a change, Vizioso is in jail, and every other villain we've faced is no longer breathing. You've said it yourself, Leo! This city doesn't need us anymore."_

 _"He does have a point," Donnie agreed as the four brothers slowed to a stop._

 _"As much as I agree with you," Leo sighed. "We do have to keep alert should something come up. Who knows what the next threat to the city could be. Let's say for example you finally get around to returning Timothy to human, Donnie. What sort of precautions do you have in place so he doesn't attack any of us when you thaw him out?"_

 _"Or maybe it could be a threat that's worse than the Shredder and the Kraang combined!" Mikey suggested, "Like the Alien cantina owner who wanted to kill me after one of his space cupcakes attacked me." One of the other turtles was going to retort when suddenly a rocket blasted by them. It struck the wall of a stairwell, but the shockwave from the explosion was strong enough to knock the four turtles off their feet._

 _"That was a mutant-hunter rocket!" Donnie yelled in alarm._

 _"But…it can't be," Leo stated "Vizioso and his goons are in jail. Weren't all his weapons caches seized by the police and used as evidence?"_

 _"Let's debate this matter when we aren't being used as target practice," Raph growled._

 _"We need to get back underground," Leo stated to his brothers. "Everyone, find cover…when I say move we head to the nearest sewer entrance. " Immediately all the Turtles made their way to what cover they could find all the while remaining alert for their unseen assailants. Donnie briefly took out his T-phone and activated its tracking beacon. Should anything happen, he wanted to be sure April and Casey could find them._

 _"Is the coast clear?" Mikey asked as he cautiously moved out of hiding after several tense moments with nothing happening. An explosion close to his hiding place served as his answer._

 _"Mikey!" Donnie cried his little brother's name in alarm. The little orange-masked turtle lay flat on his plastron, only a small groan letting them know he's alive._

 _"Okay!" Raph yelled as stepped out of his hiding place to make it clear to whoever was attacking that they had ticked off the wrong turtle. "No one hurts my little brother and…" The red-masked turtle's words were cut short as an anti-mutant grenade sent him flying into the brick façade of a nearby building before he fell to a lower rooftop._

 _"Raph!" Leo cried out his immediate younger brothers name._

 _"Leo…Don…" Raph groaned as he lost consciousness "run…save...yourselves…."_

 _"We can't leave 'em!" Donnie protested._

 _"We don't have a choice!" Leo barked through he also loathed the idea of leaving any of his brothers to fates unknown. "We need to move now!" They hurriedly descended a fire escape to an alley below before a couple of canisters of red gas were fired into narrow space between the buildings._

 _"Just great anti-mutant nerve gas…" Donnie coughed as he felt himself start to become woozy._

 _"Try not to breath," Leo gasped to his brother as he tried to lift the heavy iron cover to the entrance to their sewer refuge. The nerve gas was also making him feel light-headed and sapping him of his strength. He turned to Donnie to seek assistance in lifting the manhole cover, but could only watch in horror as his second eyes rolled back in his skull and he slumped forward in a dead faint. His own vision swam as the poisonous gas caused him_ to slump _to the ground. The last thing he saw before he lost consciousness was two figures approaching them. Both figures were laughing menacingly at their prey from behind a set of gas masks that were styled just for them. And both were most certainly not human._

* * *

"So...you believe it could be this Dr. Farrell guy?" Raph asked.

"Oh, it is more than just a belief, my young turtle, "An eloquent voice spoke as an elderly human waltzed into the room. The man was tall and thin and dressed in doctor's scrubs, a light frizz of white hair surrounding his balding pate. While he smiled at the four turtles in an open friendly manner and spoke to them politely. There was something clearly sinister underneath the pleasant act he presented. "I am Dr. Victor Oban Farrell, at your service."

Just behind him stood two evil-looking mutants, the younger of the two was a gray mutant rabbit dressed in a pair of overalls with a chain wrapped around his waist as a belt. Around his fingers was set of spiked brass knuckles which he fingered as though he was itching to use them on his new playthings. The second mutant was a white rat. unlike Master Splinter, who had been a human turned into a humanoid rat. This mutant rat had clearly been a rodent, to begin with. He was far more animalistic then Splinter ever had, even when he had lost himself to his more rodent-like instincts. This creature was dressed in a breach cloth secured about his waist by a belt and suspenders. He also had a spiked cuff around his right wrist. Around the necks of the two mutants, there were set of collars that looked as though they had been surgically implanted. The one around the neck of the rabbit had a small red light glowing indicating that whatever purpose the collar served it was fully active. The one on the rat, however, didn't look lit up suggesting it may have been deactivated some time ago.

"These are my two servants…Karl and Igor." Dr. Farrell informed as he gestured to the two mutants beside him.

"Hello!" Karl said as he smiled vilely at the four turtles. It was almost as though the mutant rabbit was eagerly salivating over at the thought of what torment the Turtles would face at the hands of his master.

"What do you want with us?!" Leo demanded.

"I had my servants collect you...because you fascinate me," Farrell commented as approached and examined the turtles in a way that made each of them feel like he was dissecting them with his eyes. "Ever since I learned about you from that disgusting, gluttonous, fool Vizioso. When he told me his associates had managed to capture one of you, I knew one just wouldn't be enough...I had to have the whole set." Casually the doctor stopped and took hold of Donatello's chin turning the purple-masked turtles face side to side as he continued to inspect his prizes.

"Let go of me," Donnie gave protest of discomfort as his body seized up in fear.

"So this was the one he captured," Farrell's smile widened and his eyes seemed to gleam perversely. "When Vizioso informed me that he had one of you as his prisoner, he said the mutant turtle in his possession had a purple mask."

"Leave him alone!" Leo snarled angrily. Dr. Farrell simply regarded the blue-masked turtle coolly before he smirked as if knowing something that Leonardo was as of yet unaware of regarding his companions.

"You didn't answer Leo's question!" Raph pointed out. "What do you want with us?"

"Oh, I have my interests, " Dr. Farrell stated nonchalantly as he let go of Donatello's chin. "I study every mutant I collect, and those that fascinate me, I extensively study so I can further my scientific research." The smile on Karl's face faltered for a short moment at that statement. Igor, in particular, seemed to show discomfort, but both mutants quickly resumed their facade so as not to arouse any suspicions from their master. "Those I find useful, I keep alive to use in my experiments. Take Karl and Igor for instance. They have been my creations ever since the canisters of mutagen fell from the sky years ago. Both have proven their usefulness by helping me find and obtain other specimens for my research. However, to be certain they don't turn against me, I have surgically implanted a collar that is connected to their entire nervous system…it reminds them that disobedience will be instant death." Karl's smile soured somewhat as he fingered the strap that was embedded into his neck while Igor remained neutral. Oddly Farrell didn't seem to have noticed that Igor's collar was no longer activated, even someone as dense as Mikey could see that something was very wrong with this picture.

"I don't care what you do to me," Leo threatened "but I am warning you now if you don't release my brothers..."

"I'm sorry," Farrell sniggered. "You seem to be under the delusion that you even have rights." Karl derisively laughed at this statement.

"Yeah, the Turtle thinks he has the same rights as a human!" Karl guffawed in agreement.

"Let my brothers go!" Leo again demanded. "I swear to you, I will make the three of you feel every moment of pain you inflict on them."

"With what," Karl snorted "Igor and I stripped you of any weapons when we brought you here."

"And…" Farrell coyly stated, "If I were to release your brothers…what about your friend?" Leo blinked in confusion at the doctor's question.

"My frie...what?" Leo asked not understanding what Farrell was hinting at.

"I took blood and tissue samples from all of you when you were unconscious," Farrell explained with the air of a cat who has swallowed a canary. "It seems only two of your companions are your siblings, but the remaining one is biologically a stranger." The four turtles went silent with shock at this revelation.

"Um...which of us isn't related?" Mikey asked confused.

"It doesn't matter, Mikey." Leo barked to his youngest brother.

"This asshole is only saying this to scare us," Raph responded.

"You're DNA doesn't lie." Karl sniggered. Only Donnie remained curiously silent in this exchange, he knew what Farrell was saying was the truth. It was a secret he had hidden from his brothers ever since he had been a young boy, a truth that would heavily impact their family if it was revealed.

"Karl, Igor please show our guests to their living quarters," Farrell appeared to salivate in anticipation ."Let them enjoy their final moments together before I begin my experiments, but keep the purple-masked one out...I have a feeling he'll be a wonderful addition to my...collection."


	2. We were never brothers(part 2)

"I don't like it." Casey groused as he paced back and forth in the lair. "Raph and the guys have been out on patrol for too long!" April sighed in agreement, she also couldn't shake the feeling that their shelled companions were in great danger. She wanted to believe they were okay and they were only waylaid by something or maybe they had dropped by Murakami's for a snack. Maybe she should have gone with them on their patrol, after all since she was a full Kunoichi and a member of their family now. However, with the city currently in a state of normalcy; free of maniacal ninja seeking vengeance, tyrannical aliens wanting to mutate the earth and demonic entities that wanted to kill her new found family. She just didn't see any reason to join them. Still, they all knew it was only a matter of time before another threat arose. Tiger Claw had offered a truce following the events with Kavaxas, but that didn't mean he still wasn't their enemy. He just agreed to let matters regarding the Shredder rest, he could still return and try to destroy the fragile peace they have created.

There were certainly other mutants out there who weren't allies of the Turtles or the Mutanimals, any of them could become a threat. And of course there was the matter with Joan Grody, it was thanks to Muckman that Grody and the rest of the city were lead to believe the Turtles were just a bunch of kids playing dress-up. The red-haired girl hated to think about what would happen if that lie was exposed.

"Maybe they stopped by Karai's place check on her," April suggested, as much as the human/kraang hybrid did have her problems with the dark-haired Kunoichi. She did admit that Karai was a useful ally and friend when she was needed. Pulling out her T-phone she was going to text Karai to see if she had seen the guys when her eyes widened in shock at what was displayed before her.

"Casey," April said with concern as she pointed to the display screen. "The guys are in trouble."

"Is that...?" The dark-haired boy asked.

"That's Donnie's tracking beacon," April said. "He only activates it when he knows they're in danger."

"But who or what would attack the guys?" Casey asked, "All the scumbags we know of are either reformed, in prison, or pushing up daisies."

"I don't know," April said. "We are going to need to get in touch with the Mutanimals…and maybe Karai. The guys are going to need all the help they can get."

* * *

Leo, Raph, and Mikey were all dumped unceremoniously into a prison cell by Karl. While Donatello struggled in Igor's grip, the mutant rodent was obviously stronger then he looked. There was also something eerily unnerving about him as if he was hiding something that even Farrell was unaware of.

In cages all around them were mutants of various types, some sentient, others feral minded and animalistic despite their mutation. Several of them looked starved and sickly, while others looked maimed and scarred. There were several with body parts missing, while others had limbs that looked as though they were rotting off. None of the turtles knew what any of these mutants had been through, and in their hearts, they didn't want to know. Every one of them regarded Igor with fright as though he was one of the forces in this horrible place that they have learned to fear. One mutant somewhere deeper in the prison was screaming incoherently as though he was being tormented.

"Hope you've all said your goodbyes," Karl laughed "because Farrell has big plans for this one."

"Donnie!" Mikey yelled.

"You and your master better hope I don't bend these bars." Raph snarled "If you so much as scratch my brother…"

"You mean like this!" Karl said giving a sadistic smile before he used his spiked brass knuckles to send a solid punch to the side of Donnie's face. Donnie grunted in pain before there was another blow to his solar plexus. The mutant rabbit laughing in delight as he continued to slam the spiked brass knuckles into the purple-masked turtle's face and body over and over and over again!

"Stop it!" Leo yelled, but his commands fell on deaf ears as the mutant rabbit continued in taking delight in beating his second brother.

"Oh, that's it!" Raph roared. "I'm going to make a pair of rabbit's feet out of you!"

"That is enough, Karl." Dr. Farrell commanded as he walked in. "I do require the subject to still be alive when I _begin_ the procedure." Karl obediently stopped his assault, Donnie slumped forward. He wasn't unconscious, but he was definitely incapacitated after beating he had received

"Take me instead," Leo protested "Study me, kill me, do whatever you want! Just leave Donatello and the rest of my brothers alone!"

"Oh…Donatello is it," Farrell said delightedly as the two mutants dragged the dazed turtle away with them. "As in the Renaissance sculptor…interesting. Unfortunately, for you…you don't interest in the same way he does. I have a particular fondness for the 'Special Ones". They are particularly useful in my research." A female ferret mutant, eyed a door towards the back of the prison with dread as though knowing what sort of fate awaited the purple-masked turtle. She looked unharmed, but it was clear she had been traumatized by what she had seen and experienced. Her long strawberry blond hair was matted and greasy as if she hasn't washed it in days, and her fur also looked unkempt. Her eyes were red-rimmed from tears and the inability to get a proper night's sleep.

"No, please don't do this!" Mikey begged. "Donnie is one of the kindest and smartest people I know. Smarter than maybe even you…"

"Shut it, Mikey!" Raph growled to his little brother, he could see from the grin spreading across Farrell's face that he had indeed chosen the right turtle for his twisted experiments. Mikey continued without abandon.

"He's able to come up with amazing ideas and solutions to problems," Mikey tearfully begged the scientist. "He's able to develop things that border on the impossible. Please…Please don't take him away from us!"

"Mikey!" Leo barked "You're only proving that he was right in taking Donnie."

"Oh right," Mikey balked as he realized what he had been doing "What I meant to say is Donnie is completely useless to you…he's actually a complete idiot who doesn't do anything right. If you want a smart turtle, take Raph…he'd be perfect for your experiments, like yesterday he was trying to combine a phalange with a dinglehopper, so it can clean out our...uh...our garbage disposal."

"Nice try," Farrell sneered at the smaller turtle. "I was listening to your conversation before I made my grand entrance. The rest of you were referring to him as though he was the smart one among you. Also, he did seem to go quiet when I mentioned one of the four of you was not genetically related. It makes me wonder if he already knew of that fact...and why he wishes to hide it."

Leo's eyes shifted as though something he was pondering for quite some time was suddenly starting to make sense, while Raph's eyes widened in realization and his fists clenched in anger.

"Also this Raph, as you call him," Farrell continued. "He doesn't look like he even possesses the brain capacity that would be needed to create something as complex as those fascinating smartphone devices my servants took from you. Let alone to program the extensive encryptions that were on the phone broadcasting this location. I'm not worried of course, though I am actually quite interested in seeing just who will be coming to your rescue."

"We'll you should be worried," Raph snarled, his hands slamming the bars angrily. "We have strong and powerful friends who would fight until their last breath to help us. Ones that can turn you and your crazed stooges into mincemeat. The whole lot of them are probably on their way here right now!"

"I have precautions set in place for intruders and unwanted guests. I can guarantee their arrival will come all too late for you for." Ferrall nonchalantly commented to the three caged turtles as he dismissed Raph's declaration. "However, the little one did pique my interest. I think I should plan some other experiments on your companion for the time being. It seems he has some interesting information inside that magnificent brain of his." Mikey breathed out a sigh of relief. Both Leo and Raph however tensed, knowing that whatever awaited their brother could be even worse. Pulling out a communication device he brought it to his mouth.

"Karl," the balding doctor leered at the three turtles before him as he spoke. "Prepare our young friend for my 'Mentalwave Device'."

"You're going to microwave Donnie?!" Mikey gasped as he mentally visualized his immediate older brother strapped to a rotating glass disk while his body inflated like a bag of popcorn.

"With my 'Mentalwave Device'," Farrell an almost lustful smirk as he explained to the three turtles. "I will rip into his intriguing brain and learn every memory, every thought, every secret he possesses. All of it will be mine...and after I am done then I will take what I want from his physical body, tata for now."

"I'm warning you, Farrell!" Leo snarled at the elderly human left the room; lunging at the bars of their prison with a fierceness that seemed alien to the normally calm and noble turtle. His hands angrily shaking the bars of the cage as though he was trying to pry them loose from the wall. "You and your mutant goons should have let us go when you had the chance! We're going to get out of here, and when we do we will make you suffer for anything you do to Donnie! You're going to regret the day you ever learned of us!" Raph responded to Leo's tirade by lunging forward and enfolding his older brother in his arms.

"Calm down," Raph soothingly said to his older brother, though he also felt his own level of anxiety over what was befalling the genius. "Donnie's no weakling; he's a tough turtle…tougher than any of us give him credit for. Getting mad is not going to do him any favors, we need to calm down and figure a way out of here." Leo's ire deflated as he rested his head on his immediate younger brother's shoulder.

"I can't…" Leo said as the young leader's voice began to crack with oncoming sobs. "I can't lose…I can't fail anyone else…not after…" No one needed to ask him to clarify. Leo was the turtle who had suffered the most following Splinter's passing. Taking up the role of the head of the Hamato Clan in their father's place had been a heavy burden. A role they had all witnessed him struggle with. The very notion of another member of their family meeting a horrible end was a nightmare that visited the leader-in-blue every night.

The visions were always different, but the results were always the same. In some visions, one of his brothers, April, Casey, or Karai would meet their deaths. In other visions, it was more than one of his family members. Such as Donnie being struck down while he was busy trying to disarm an explosive or an enemy's mechanized weapon. While Raph is taken down as he savagely runs at a foe to avenge their gentle brother's death. Or maybe Mikey overwhelmed by an enemy force and Donnie being slaughtered in his attempts to protect and assist his only little brother or maybe April.

Other times it all his brothers meeting their end at the hands of a foe…such as the vision of Jei he and his brothers received at that alternate version of Earth where Miyamoto Usagi resided. Seeing Mikey giving his all to fight the crazed wolf only to be stabbed in the gut before he was sent tumbling to the ravine below. Raph rushing to avenge his little brother only to be hit directly by a deadly blast of spirit fire that sends him also plummeting down the mountainside. Jei taking advantage of the momentary shock of witnessing their brother's deaths by knocking Donnie aside and sending Leo tumbling down the mountain face separating him from his second brother. As he felt his body being dashed against the rocks he briefly saw a turtle-shaped form that was suspended in the sky. It was only when he found himself lying among the bodies of his brothers that the full-horror of the event truly hit him. His brothers were dead because he failed to protect them…he had failed them all.

"What did Farrell mean about only two of us actually being brothers with you, Leo?" Mikey asked as his oldest brother's sobs became a soft anxious whimper. "And if Donnie knew...why didn't he say anything."

"We can't focus on that," Leo stated as he tried to regain his composure. "We need to focus on getting out of here?"

"But what if it's true," Mikey pointed out. "Could it be possible that one of us isn't related to the rest?"

"Actually, Mikey does bring up a good question." Raph countered as he let go of Leo. "Don, did that DNA test on us when we were kids...he attempted to do one when we were eight, and the only reason we agreed to it when we were twelve was just so he would stop asking. If he came across something like this, he should have said something."

"Maybe he was silent about this fact because he was protecting us," Leo said firmly as he returned to the stoic resolve that he prided himself with. "When I had asked about that DNA experiment he had been working on back then, he had brushed it off as inconclusive. Then he started asking some rather vague-sounding questions, and that was what keyed me in that he had actually found something. Unfortunately, when I tried to demand what the questions were really implying he got evasive. I didn't understand it back then, but I think I do now."

"What do you mean," Raph demanded, "If I learned one of us wasn't related I would have openly told you guys."

"Remember that mummy movie we watched long ago," Leo supplied. "You commented about how unrealistic it was for all that chaos to be caused by a 'stupid' book. Splinter then contradicted you and said there were some books that actually were very dangerous. Most of them were not dangerous in themselves, what made them truly dangerous was how people interpreted and used the knowledge within said books."

"Yeah, and?" Raph rolled his eyes not really grasping what Leo was pointing at.

"Before Donnie began his experiment," Leo stated "Splinter warned Donnie to be mindful that some knowledge was best left alone. The only reason D, would have been evasive about his experiment was because he found something that he hadn't intended on learning. So he kept silent because he understood how dangerous that knowledge would have been if revealed."

"But we were born in a pet shop," Raph pointed out. "Wouldn't that cause us to be genetically different. Three of us could have been touched by one employee and one of us could have been touched by someone else, maybe even Splinter himself."

"What if one of us had a different mommy turtle and daddy turtle?" Mikey suggested

"Turtles are born from eggs, Mikey!' Raph groused as the conversation irritated him. "So the only way any of us would not be siblings is if the egg of one clutch somehow wound up in the incubation tank with the rest of us."

"That could still happen right?" Mikey pointed out.

"Yes, Mikey," Leo sighed. "But if that was the case, would that be news you would honestly want to have? How would one of you act if someone told you that you biologically were not related to the people you knew as family."

"I'd want to punch their teeth in." Raph admitted, "I'd let them know that they should have left well enough alone and regretted the day they did that stupid DNA test."

"I don't think anything would change," Mikey said, "Because you guys will still be my bro's no matter what anyone says, but I'd still wish they never told me."

"That is likely why Donnie kept silent about this," Leo explained. "He knew this knowledge would cause a lot of damage if it was revealed. While nothing would change in actuality, for the turtle this knowledge pertained to...they would feel alienated and seen as different. If it was you Raph...you would lash out in anger because you would feel like you were discarded and abandoned by those around you. Mikey, you would still see things as normal. However, it would be difficult to tell if we were honestly teasing him as a brother or if we were generally being mean because you weren't one of us. And if was Donnie..."

Leo didn't continue, he didn't need to. All three turtles knew of the four of them, Donnie was often set apart from the rest of them. He was a strong fighter on his own, but weaker in comparison to the rest of his family. He was more intelligent than the rest of them which at times caused them to tune him out or have difficulty in understanding what he was saying. On more than one occasion Donnie had chosen to reclusively shut himself in his lab rather than hang out with them. Often they assumed he did that so he wouldn't feel like they were bothering him. Thinking on it now, Leo began to wonder if that was really the reason his second brother isolated himself as much as he did.

"But which one of us isn't related?" Mikey asked not wanting to let the question drop.

"Maybe it's you," Raph groused as he angrily turned to the smaller turtle. "It'd make the most sense because you are an idiot."

"Well," Mikey fumed angrily at Raph's comment. He was aware he wasn't the smartest or the most focused member of the team, but to say he wasn't related because he was stupid was below the belt even for someone like Raph. "What if you are the one who has the stranger DMV!? Donnie and Leo have got to be my real brothers because they aren't complete assholes like you are!"

"Stop it, both of you!" Leo shouted "This is exactly how Farrell wants it…he told us that one of us wasn't related so we'd doubt and fight each other. By giving in to it we are only distracting ourselves from what we really should be doing which is getting to Donnie and getting out of here. Besides it changes nothing, the four of us are still brothers….we're still a team."

"Maybe you're right," Raph sighed. The red-masked turtle would have said more but all three Turtles went silent at the sound of their brother's cries of distress.


	3. We were never brothers(part 3)

"I know you have no choice in serving Farrell," Donnie pointed out as Karl strapped him down onto a metal operating table.

"You don't know half of it," Karl sneered. "If it wasn't for this stupid obedience collar, I would have...excuse the pun, hopped this joint a long time ago."

"Doesn't..." Donnie cautiously continued. He understood that both Karl and Igor were both prisoners of Farrell, they weren't prisoners in the same sense that his brothers or the other mutants trapped in this facility were. Still, they were forced to do things under Farrell's directive under threat of death. "Doesn't it bother you that the people your master tortures are mutants such as yourselves?" Karl sniggered as though that was the most ridiculous thing he had ever heard.

"Nah," Karl said giving a self-righteous smirk, "I'm the chief lab assistant in this place, the torture doesn't bother me because...I'm the one doing it. I just love hearing every mutant scream in terror and pain as I make them suffer and beg for death."

"But…" Donnie said as his mind tried to comprehend this. He knew quite well that evil mutants existed just as evil humans existed. Still, Mutant's like Tigerclaw only attacked and hurt them because that was his job in the Foot Clan. Whereas other mutants like Fungus Humongous only caused harm in the form of hallucinations because he was defending himself. Even the more animalistic mutants were only violent out of basic predatory instincts. Donnie himself occasionally did vivisect creatures for study, such as the brain worm that Leo and Mikey had risked their lives to retrieve. However, he never took perverse pleasure in it...it was just a way of understanding how they functioned. "How can you hurt your own kind and not feel any remorse? You're smart enough to know there is something wrong with that." The hate-filled look Karl threw him told Donatello that these were the wrong words to use.

Karl growled low within his throat before he spoke. "I'm smart enough to play the role of a simpering servant, to keep from winding up strapped to the dissection table myself. That's all I care about, me and me alone! You on the other hand…" Donnie gave out a surprised yelp as the table was strapped to fell backward into a flat position. Through the blinding glare of the surgical lights, he could still make out the shape of a massive circular steel blade twenty feet above him. The medical-grade steel stained red with the blood of numerous mutants that it had cleaved through in its grizzly task.

"I have no qualms about what happens to you...or your so-called family." Karl sneered. "Since I was the one who did the DNA test on you and your ridiculous brothers. Maybe I should tell them which of you is the stranger, I wonder what they would say if they knew…"

"It doesn't matter," Donnie shot back though it sounded as though he was trying to convince himself that nothing would be affected. "My brothers are my brothers, no matter what!"

"Is that the lie you honestly tell yourself?" Karl smirked deviantly "If it didn't matter then why haven't you told them which one of you has no relation to everyone else. The only reason you wouldn't say anything about it is because you're afraid of how they would react...and maybe that they would resent you as being the messenger of this fact. That's it isn't it...you don't want them to know that your family is all a lie."

"The four of us were adopted by our sensei," Donnie said, he could feel himself getting emotional. "We've been raised as brothers ever since we were first mutated."

"But, even then," Karl arrogantly leered "You don't have the spine to bring up this one simple truth to them. I thought families always shared things that were important, and if someone in my family was an imposter I wouldn't have hesitated to let them know. Face the facts, you never said anything because you know things would change between the four of you and you're only protecting what you likely never had to begin with."

"Karl," Farrell's voice sounded from a speaker on a nearby computer console. "Prepare our young friend for my Mentalwave device." The mutant rabbit gave an annoyed expression before he returned the metal table to a more upright position.

"Right away, Master Farrell," Karl grumbled as he opened a cabinet and pulled out a helmet-like device. "Whatever, Master Farrell...Go fuck yourself, Master Farrell."

"What's the Mentalwave device?" Donnie asked through he was unsure he really wanted to know. Karl stalked forward and place the helmet on Donnie's hairless scalp.

"Just something Farrell uses to examine the minds of his guests," Karl sneered though there was a level of disappointment as he explained this. "Every memory, every thought, every secret you possess, he will have access to. It's not as entertaining as some other experiments he performs, but my ears will still ring with the sound of your screams. After a few sessions, you'll practically be begging for the dissection table."

* * *

"Get out of my head! Get out of my head!" Donnie screamed and thrashed from where he lay tightly strapped to the table. "NOOOOO!"

Dr. Farrell sat calmly in a task chair with his eyes closed. Upon his head was a helmet-like device that looked like a robotic, cyclopoid, lobster. This device was also connected to the computer bank recording everything he collected and encountered in the young turtle's mind.

While the Donatello's mind was not treated as a sanctuary like the minds of his eldest brother and his late father were. It was still a refuge where no one was meant to go uninvited, but this old man was violating that sacred space and all the knowledge within without regard as to how it was affecting the young turtle.

"Fascinating," Farrell commented as a twisted smile crossed his face. "The little one was right about you. You have so many ideas and concepts…all here just forming in your head." The older man accessed a portion of Donatello's mind and looked over it before gave a grunt of frustration as he destroyed the memory he had just viewed. "I wish you would stop giving me these useless memories. I want secrets, I want to see your creations, I want to see what makes your brilliant mind what it is! Still, it's only a matter of time before you are no longer able to shield the treasures I desire. They always resist me at first, but eventually, they give in to the inevitable and surrender their innermost selves to me."

Donatello continued to scream and cry out in pain and anguish as the older human waltzed through the labyrinthine hallways of his mind. Tearing through and damaging several memories without regard as to how precious those events may have been.

* * *

 ***Memory***

 _"Donatello? What are you doing up?" The voice of Splinter asked calmly from where he sat in the Dojo calmly reading. A very young Donatello stood in the doorway to the dojo. The child didn't say anything in response beyond a small noise that sounded like a whimper. Calmly Splinter stood up and approached, his taller form towering over the child. Reaching down he gathered the small turtle into his arms before returning to where he was seated before._

 _"What I am to do with you, my smart one?" The elder rat sighed as he lovingly stroked the young boys back. The small turtle only happily giggled and settled himself in a crook of his father's lap. Splinter did feel some concern about how this child did not seem to be developing in the same way his brothers were, already his brothers had started to develop modes of speech. They couldn't speak in sentences yet, but they have already able to say more than a few words. The rat mutant knew Donatello was not mute by any means as he was capable of laughing in delight or screaming in frustration or fear. He also had communicated using the same infantile babble of his brothers just a year ago. Unlike his brothers, however, he had not developed any sort of speech pattern and would often use various noises such as whimpers, coos, and small squeaks and squeals to get his needs across._

 _Each of his other sons had their own reactions to their brother's odd manner of speaking. Raphael for example often got frustrated with his immediate younger brother and would react in ways that involved hitting, pushing, throwing things, and other childishly hostilities. Something that only got the fierce turtle a firm swat on the bottom of his shell and a time out in a corner of the Dojo. The action did cause the young turtle to loudly screamed and threw temper tantrums, but it was all part of learning that one's actions had consequences._

 _Michelangelo didn't understand his immediate older brother's way of communicating, but he seemed to find in amusement in it. Such as one occasion, Donatello had let out a mewling noise. This noise was actually a complaint meant to indicate that the young turtle wasn't feeling well. Michelangelo's first reaction was to childishly giggle thinking it was funny. It was only when Donatello began to vomit that the smaller turtle began to realizes it wasn't quite so amusing as he called his brother by the childish nickname of "Don Don" in concern._

 _It was only Leonardo who seemed to make any sort of effort of interpreting the sounds his second brother made. Though they also often communicated through silence which was also an admirable feat in ones so young._

 _The former human would have been lying if he felt that Donatello's inability to speak did not worry him. However, the rattly father didn't think it was a true cause for alarm, because he suspected his second youngest son would find his voice in time. This boy had shown a level of intelligence that was greater than his brothers and was capable of understanding things that most children his age would not. The rodent master was certain more surprises brewed just below the surface, he could see it in the child's eyes with how he approached the world with an eagerness to learn all there was to know._

 _Splinter had just turned back to his copy of Musashi's "Book of the Five Rings". He was just starting to read the first paragraph of the 'Earth Ring' when he felt movement from the child in his lap. Donatello had sat up and was trying to see the words his father had been reading. The wise rat couldn't help but softly laugh as the young boy examined the various Japanese characters, trying to make sense of each of the symbols._

 _"Shall I read some of it to you?" Splinter asked. Donatello responded by setting himself against his father's warm body once again like a child eagerly waiting for a bedtime story. "Let us start with the first ring, the ring of earth. " The elder rat cleared his throat and began to read aloud._

 _"…Know the smallest things and the biggest things, the shallowest things and the deepest things. As if it were a straight road mapped out on the ground…" Splinter paused as he began to finish the first chapter. Glancing down he saw that Donatello had finally drifted off to sleep at some point during the reading. Smiling tenderly at the child he closed the book, taking care not to awaken him, he carried the tiny turtle to the room where his siblings resided._

 _As he was gently placed next to Leonardo, Donatello instinctively settled close to his oldest brother. Leonardo also semi-consciously reached out and hugged his second brother closer to him. The two boys almost seemed to clasp hands in their slumber finding love and trust in one another as they dreamed._

 _*End Memory*_

* * *

This memory was destroyed like many before it. Other memories Farrell regarded with interest, some intrigued the older man to the point he eagerly sought out more memories and knowledge regarding it. Finally, the older man pulled off the Mentalwave device.

"That's all for right now," The biologist said as he stood up. In response Donatello fell limp against the metal table, his eyes blank and glazed with exhaustion over everything that had happened in the past hour. "I do look forward to entertaining myself with you again later." Turning towards the door he addressed his two servants.

"Igor…take this one back to his companions for the time being." The older man said as he started to leave the room. "In the meantime, Karl bring the little one to me. I want to press him for more information about this one before I continue to research this one's mind. Perhaps he could give me some information to look for."

"Right away boss," Karl mock saluted one he was certain Farrell was out of earshot his smile fell. "Damn, I hate working for that old geezer." He snarled before he left to go retrieve Michelangelo. Igor grunted in agreement as he removed the helmet that had been placed on Donnie and undid the straps holding him to the table. Unknown to Karl however, Igor had deactivated his obedience collar long ago. The mutant Rat only continued to follow Farrell to keep up the pretense of servitude all the while using mental suggestion to keep the older human under the belief that the collar was still active. If his master had any sort of idea as to how intelligent and powerful his mind was, he would most certainly be strapped to this dissection table as part of his master's research. The one time he truly feared his secret being discovered was when Farrell had first tested the Mentalwave device on him.

The device did more than allow Farrell to enter the mind of a subject. It granted psionic abilities to whoever used it enabling them to control various forms of kinesis. Such as forcing a body to move at will. The power of the device unnerved the mutant rat; he had been using his abilities of psychic suggestion to avoid any suspicions for years. If Farrell had been using the Mentawave device to read his mind he would have seen what his loyal servant was truly hiding. Still, Igor did have a contingency plan if he ever was discovered, and that was to use his powers in mental suggestion to get Farrell to believe Karl was to blame. After all the young rabbit's arrogance was rather irksome and would lead to his eventual downfall. The evil rabbit was certainly a mutant that Igor would have loved to see strapped to the dissection table, the only other mutant that Igor wished he could see undergoing a similar fate was Otto Rattus, but that was for a different reason entirely.

Both Karl and Igor were just tools, they only served one purpose and that was to perform Farrell's dirty work. They were the ones who captured mutants, they were the ones who cleaned up after Farrell had had his fun with his prisoners. Still, at the end of the day, they were replaceable. Otto was valued by Farrell, he had the luxury of being Farrell's bodyguard and chauffeur. He assisted with dissecting the mutants that Farrell felt would be useful for his research. He was the only mutant that Farrell trusted enough to not surgically implant an obedience collar.

Also while Igor was a mutant, he wasn't given a full mutation. The mutagen used on him had been contaminated, diluted, or had been defective in some way. It only mutated him enough to allow him to walk upright, enhanced his physical dexterity, make him capable of sentient thought, and have super strength, intelligence, and psychic abilities. However, in appearance, action, and speech he was just a worthless animal. That's what he hated about the other mutants, they had full mutations even the savage-minded ones. It made him jealous and that's why he took pleasure in getting to hurt them as the Animal Keeper. His jealousy for Otto caused him to silently rage. Otto wasn't just given a full mutation, Farrel had done more...so much more. All this because he had originally been Farrell's pet. It was infuriating, but one day...one day he would prove his worth. One day he would be the valued servant and Otto would be the grunt.

With the straps no longer holding him to the table, Donatello slumped to the floor. The mutant rat roughly grabbed the hapless turtle by the leg and dragged him out of the room.


	4. We were never brothers(part 4)

"I don't hear D screaming anymore," Mikey commented with a somewhat hopeful expression. "That's a good thing right?"

"If you mean that the only thing good is the fact he's no longer screaming," Raph grumbled "We don't know what the hell is being done to him. And I sure as fuck didn't like the "Uncle Bad Touch" look on Farrell's face when he said he was going to use some kind of mental device on him."

"There is also something I don't like about Farrell servants," Leo calmly added. It was clear by how tense his shoulders were, he was anxious about what was happening to his second brother and he didn't know what was being planned for his other two brothers. He didn't like the idea of any of his brothers being harmed for any reason. "That rabbit mutant, Karl…it's like he's pure evil and doesn't bother to hide it."

"I don't believe there is such thing as an inherently evil mutant," Mikey commented as his normally childish face became uncharacteristically sullen. "But there is something majorly off about both of them, I can feel it in my ninja senses. Whenever Farrell is around it's kinda like they are putting on an act…and not in a good way. They obviously fear him, but they don't want to make him interested in them for some reason. That rat dude…Igor, I get the feeling he's even worse the Karl, and that we haven't seen half of what they are capable of."

"Igor is a brute." A female voice inserted itself into the conversation. The three turtles looked up and noticed the ferret mutant regarding them. "He is the "Animal" keeper here and does enjoy brutalizing the mutants who are prisoners of this place. He's also dangerously strong, if he comes for you it's better not to fight him. I've seen him do horrible things to those who try."

"I'm not scared of that freakshow of a rat," Raph stated as he cracked his knuckles. "If he faced us like a real mutant he'd really know what it's like to mess with the Ninja Turtles."

"You seem to know a lot about what's going on here," Leo asked the ferret mutant all the while ignoring his immediate younger brothers bravado. "What did you say your name was?"

"My name is Ashlyn Reed, my friends call me 'Ash'." The Ferret Mutant explained. "My boyfriend Fenris and I have been prisoners here for several months now."

"We have friends who are coming to help us," Leo assured. "We'll be sure to help save you and the other mutants of this place."

"There have been rescue and escape attempts before," Ash explained "they all ended badly. Were you guys, humans, before you became…"

"Nope, we've always been turtles," Mikey stated with his customary cheerfulness.

"I see…" Ash said as she curled in her cage. "Fenris and I were made into...well this. It happened the night the ooze canisters fell from the sky. Fenris and I are both biology students at Brooklyn Community and we intern at the central park zoo. We were going out to grab a pizza after a shift at the zoo when the two of us saw all these containers fall from the sky. One of them hit the wall of a building and the contents splashed on to us. Times were hard for us after we changed, we couldn't go back to our normal lives as we were so we were doing all we could do just to survive. Then one day, we were approached by this person who told us he was aware of our affliction and his benefactor was striving to help people who were also suffering from the same problems. Desperately wanting a cure the two us agreed, unfortunately, this was a mistake and we've been prisoners here ever since."

"I'm sorry you've gone through all this," Leo stated sympathetically.

"But being a mutant isn't all bad," Mikey interjected. "For example, you get to know cool guys like us and you are able to get awesome abilities because of your mutation. Also, we have a group of friends called the Mighty Mutanimals, they are a group of mutants who protect this city along with me and my brothers. They'd be happy to let you guys join them and anyone who is interested."

"Also Donnie," Leo pointed out "He's found a way to reverse mutations, and he has been creating doses of retromutagen to use on mutations that are too dangerous to remain as mutants and mutants that want to return to their original form. So if you and Fenris wish to be human again, they would be happy to arrange it."

"Thank you," Ash responded though there was a tone in her voice that suggested she didn't have her hopes up.

"Since you know about what goes on around here," Raph asked. "Can you tell us anything about where we are and what this Mentalwave thing that Donnie's being subjected to?"

"This place is a secret underground lab of a biotechnical and medical firm called BIO-Spawn," Ash answered from what she could recall. "Doctor Farrell is their chief scientist and chairmen. He plays up an act of being benevolent and charming and even uses his vast wealth and scientific knowledge to benefit mankind. Unfortunately, that only extends to humans...when it comes to mutations, he imprisons and runs experiments and procedures that verge on diabolical. The Mentalwave device is an object of torture Farrell has crafted himself. Apparently it allows him to have psionic powers. I've never seen how it is used or experienced it myself, however, I do know of at least two mutants who have suffered under this device. One is a mutant ram that everyone in this place called Mystic. Apparently, before his mutation, he had been a homeless man called "The Professor" due to the wisdom he would offer to people. He had undergone several Mentalwave sessions before Fen and I were imprisoned here, and he would give us encouragement to believe that one-day freedom would come. But not long afterward, he became quiet. It was like he didn't remember anything about who he was or why he was here. Now he just sits in his cage blankly staring off into space. The other one is my boyfriend, Fenris, that is the person you hear screaming. Apparently he had attempted to escape Igor after one of the Mentalwave sessions. Igor did something to him to stop him from escaping and now it's like he's broken. He sees himself being attacked by beings only he can see. I'm worried that he would never be the Fen I knew ever again."

"Never give up hope," Leo said encouragingly. "A friend of ours is a psychic, and one of the Mutanimals has psychic powers as well. We also know of other beings that could have solutions for this sort of issue, so between all of them there has to be a way to restore Fenris's mind."

"All the while, Farrell is doing gods know what to our brother," Raph grumbled in irritation.

"There is worse to come, I'm afraid," Ash commented. "The Mentalwave device can destroy someone's mind, but there are other horribly unspeakable things done to the mutants around here. There are sterilization experiments, mutants getting injected with various bacteria and exposed to a variety of diseases. Endurance test of electric shocks or immersion into freezing water, drug experimentation, amputation, removal of organs, and the deliberate infection of wounds with gangrene." Mikey whimpered as a result as his hands covered his groin area. He knew from experience how tender and easily hurt that portion of his body could be. He couldn't imagine what it would be like to lose that part of his body entirely or any part of his body for that matter. Leo held Mikey protectively close as his blue eyes burned with anger towards the animosity of it all. All the while his heart blazed in concern over what was happening to Donatello."

"Some mutants are given over to be tortured by Karl," Ash continued. "Igor is scheming and vindictive, but Karl is completely sadistic and loves seeing things suffer. You've seen him use those spiked brass knuckles, but he also possesses an iron-tipped staff and a pair of nunchucks."

"Great, he's an evil version of Donnie with Mikey mixed in." Raph groused.

"If you were lucky, Farrell would have no use for you because he would immediately dispose of you," Ash said her blue eyes taking on a haunted look as though she had more than one mutant suffer this fate. "He wouldn't always give you a quick death, because even the deaths are part of his experimentation. Such as placing you in a room with a plate of food just out of your reach or in a place where you can't get to it, and just watching as you suffered from starvation. Though quicker modes of death have been events where the oxygen was slowly replaced with nitrogen, carbon dioxide, or chlorine. Or just simply electrocuted or burned alive purely for his own entertainment."

"I don't see how any of that makes you lucky," Mikey scratched his head.

"You're lucky because you are able to die," Ash explained. "If he finds you useful, he keeps you imprisoned, all the while he tortures you to the point where you wish you could expire. Worse yet is what Farrell does to those that greatly interest him, these are mutants that have high intelligence, psychic power, or both." Leo's eyes widened in horror at this. He remembered Farrell referring to such mutants as "Special ones" and that they were useful to his research."

"What…" Leo asked trying to keep the panic he was feeling out of his voice. "What does he do to them?"

Ash opened her mouth to say, as her eyes once again fearfully turned towards a nondescript door against a wall of the room. It didn't look any more remarkable than a janitor's closet. Unfortunately, she suddenly went silent as they heard footsteps approaching. Looking up they saw Karl enter the room. In his hand was his iron-tipped bo staff.

"What do you want, Bunnicula?" Raph demanded.

"I'm here for the little one," Karl said in a tone that was baiting. Mikey in response huddled closer to Leo, while Raph defensively stepped forward.

"What do you need with Mikey?!" Leo demanded.

"I...don't...know," Karl answered, "Farrell, just wanted me to get him."

"You aren't taking Mikey, anywhere!" Raphael snarled defensively. "If you want Mikey, you have to get through me!"

"I thought you would say something like that," Karl smirked. As quick as a flash he lashed out with his bo staff striking Raph below the chin sending him falling backward.

"Raph!" Leo called out in alarm. Instinctively his hand reached up towards his katana only to find himself grasping empty air. All too late he remembered that his katana and the weapons of his brothers were taken from them. This left him open for Karl to strike out at him sending him to the floor of his cage. Karl readied his bo ready to strike the two turtles even further.

"STOP IT!" Mikey cried out. "I'll go wherever you want, just don't hurt them any more!"

"So glad one of you is able to see reason," Karl smiled as he opened the door to the cage. Roughly pulling Mikey out, he slammed the door shut to make sure Raph or Leo didn't make any attempts to try and protect their brother. "Come on, Turtle...Walk!"

"Mikey…" Raph distraught said to his brother's shell as the orange-masked turtle was escorted out of the room. His heart clenched in fear over the possibility that this would be the last moment he saw his baby brother alive.

"Have faith, Raph," Leo said as he tried to maintain his composure. "Mikey and Donnie are no weaklings. We just have to stay strong until our friends arrive."

"Yeah," Raph commented, though he still slammed the bars in frustration. He wanted so badly to wrap his three thick fingers around Karl's neck. "I really owe Don, a big apology for all those times I've made fun of his bo staff." He was about to dejectedly sit down on the floor, but his head shot up when he heard another set of footsteps approached, this time it sounded like they were dragging something behind them. "

The two turtles readied themselves for anything as Igor approached, only to realize he was dragging Donatello with him. The purple-masked turtle wasn't conscious, he barely looked as if he was even breathing.

The mutant rat smiled sinisterly at the two of them before he opened the door to the cage and tossed hapless turtle into it. Raph caught him and carefully lowered him to the ground. Leo crawled up to his first and second brothers, checking Donnie's pulse and placing the back of his hand against his brother's forehead to check for a temperature. Something he had seen Splinter do whenever they were sick or seriously wounded. Donnie wasn't frequently prone to illness, but he was known to get stress-related fevers from time to time which was often a concern in their small family. The leader in blue could feel a slight rise in temperature in his younger brothers flesh, but it wasn't high enough to raise concerns yet.

The two turtles looked up at each other with concern as Raph continued to protectively cradle his immediate younger brother close to him. The one question filling their minds was 'What did Farrell do to Donnie?'

"D," Leo softly said as he gently placed a hand on his second brother's shoulder. As though his oldest brother's touch had been the key Donnie let out a small grown as his eyes slowly fluttered open. He blearily looked up at the faces over him as though trying to comprehend who they were. As his vision cleared he gradually became more alert, though he was noticeably shaken by whatever had happened to him.

"You okay, man?" Raph asked with real brotherly concern. He was glad to have one younger brother back, though he wondered how long the purple-masked turtle would stay with them before one of Farrell's stooges came to collect him again. Donnie looked back and forth between Raph and Leo momentarily as though assessing that this was really them. Leo gently took his brother's hand in both of his own and gave it a gentle squeeze to imply that he was with loved ones and he was safe. There were no words exchanged, nor were words needed.

Donatello let out a gasp as a pained expression crossed his face before he lurched forward and wrapped the arms around one of his older brothers and broke down in a manner neither of them had seen before. His cries erupting from his chest in loud, keening, wails. The brother he clung to instinctively held the sobbing turtle close to him. The other also wrapped his arms adding his strength to heal his younger brothers' distress, all the while Donatello's cries echoed throughout the room.


	5. We were never brothers(part 5)

It felt like hours before Donnie's cries began to cease. Tears still rolled down his face, though not in torrents like they had before. Each breath the purple-masked turtle gave was ragged and heavy with exhaustion as he listlessly rested against his oldest brother's plastron.

Leo protectively cradled his second brother against him. He didn't bother with giving platitudes of comfort, because he knew he couldn't honestly promise that everything would be okay. They had friends coming for them, he could guarantee that. Even without Donnie's tracking beacon, April and Casey still would have realized something was wrong and gotten in contact with the Mutanimals and Karai. None of them would have left a stone unturned in their efforts to find them. Unfortunately, it would still take time to find them and time was not on their side.

"What did Farrell do to him?" Raph asked in concern. His voice was calm and caring, but this was just a mask for the rage boiling beneath the surface.

"I don't know," Leo softly said as he rested his cheek against his second brother's scalp. "I've seen him cry before, but never like this. He had to have experienced something really horrible to have a breakdown this bad."

"I don't even know how to describe it…" Donnie responded as he curled closer to Leo's chest. He almost resembled a small child seeking comfort from his older sibling. "And I don't know if I want to. I'm...I'm scared, guys. I'm scared I won't be able to stop him next time...and once he has what he wants…"

"Don't talk like that, Don," Raph said as he gently but firmly grabbed his younger brother's shoulder. "We'll get out of here before that happens, April's probably got Slash and the other Mutanimals out combing the streets right now. We just have to be strong and hold out until they get here."

Donatello almost wanted to laugh at this. Raph was the one brother he never failed to tick off, even when that had never been his actual intent. Throughout his lifetime, Donnie had often felt the need to walk on eggshells whenever he was around his more volatile older brother because he didn't want Raphael's anger directed at him. But it felt no matter what he did, the red-masked turtle at times would zero in on him specifically. If an invention failed, Raph would never let his let his brother live it down. If an experiment went awry, Raph would be in his face about nearly getting them killed yet again. If he walked into the room while Raph was in a generally foul mood, he would torment him just because he was a convenient outlet. It felt almost ironic that this was the brother that was trying to offer comforting encouragement. He half expected Mikey to have said such things, that's when Donatello began to feel tense as he looked around the cage. The plucky, orange-masked turtle was nowhere to be seen. He couldn't be hiding because the cell was too small to do so, the three of them on their own barely fit in it as it is.

"Where's Mikey?" He asked his voice sounding somewhat panicked. Pained expressions crossed Leo and Raph's face at the mention of their youngest brother before they looked away disheartened. Donnie knew right away that meant that what he feared had happened.

"No," Donnie said as he started to become more agitated at the thought of what was happening to his brother.

"Karl came for him," Raph said, a bite of hatred in his voice. "Not long before Igor dragged your shell back here. Neither of us knows what Farrell wanted with him or what's happening…the only thing we do know is that whatever it is...it's not good."

* * *

Mikey hummed to himself in an attempt to alleviate the boredom he was feeling. Time passed so slowly, it felt like days had passed since the moment since Karl brought him to this room and strapped him to what looked like a dental chair. Since then he had been pretty much forgotten.

During the trip to this room, he had one brief moment where he noticed the white, furry form of Igor lumbering down the hallway. The mutant rat was dragging Donnie behind him like one of those cartoons where a caveman had knocked a cavewoman over the head with a club before he dragged her away to become his bride. Mikey instinctively wanted to go to his immediate older brother, but the way Karl roughly grabbed him by the arm and pulled him away prevented any of that. He hoped Donnie was okay, but he would only know for sure if and when he reunited with his brothers.

"Hello there my young friend," Farrell said chummily as he opened the lab door and waltzed in. He didn't look at Mikey as he pulled a small vile off a shelf of chemicals and syringe out of a drawer. "I wanted to thank you for the information you gave me about...Donatello, I believe was his name. It was most helpful, though he was very resistant in divulging any useful information. So I felt, I'd be able to gain more of an idea of what to look for...from you."

"I don't know if you really want to do that," Mikey said trying to stall or make Farrell second guess himself. None of the other things Farrell did sounded like they would be enjoyable either, but he rather have his left arm amputated if it prevented him from saying anything that was only meant to exclusively remain between his family and friends. "I'm actually considered to be on the stupid side, my brothers take care not to bring up anything important around me because they're afraid I'd forget it, or that I'd end up blabbing it. That's actually bitten me in the shell before."

"I didn't require your permission about giving me information about your family," Farrell said as he filled the syringe with a measure of the chemical. "This is called Ipsaaspin, it is a very potent hallucinogenic truth serum. If you're really as brainless as you claim...then you will be of no further use to me. It only depends on what you are able to tell me in the meantime."

"No...Stay away!" Mikey screamed as Farrell grabbed hold of the small turtle's arm and plunged the needle into his flesh.

* * *

"Oh isn't that sweet, the turtles are comforting each other." Karl sniggered as he appeared before the cages.

"Beat it, Bugs Bunny," Raph saod as he stood up defensively "There's nothing we want from you." Leo instinctively pulled Donnie closer to him and moved as far back in the cage as possible. If the rabbit was there for Donnie, he was not going to let his brother be taken without a fight.

"I'm not here for the purple one, though Farrell will require him soon. He's due for another session with the Mentalwave device." The mutant rabbit said. "You, on the other hand, you're needed for an endurance test, Red. Master Farrell, is currently interrogating the little one, so the endurance tests are to be performed by me."

"I ain't going anywhere with you," Raph growled. "Not without me punching you so hard you'll be drinking carrot smoothies the rest of your life." Karl only smirked in amusement.

"Then I guess Igor will need to convince you," He said as the mutant rat appeared. Before any of the turtles could react, the white rat grabbed Raph by the plastron. Pulling the red-masked turtle forward until he slammed his head against the bars of the cage much to the horror of Donnie and Leo. Raph's head was slammed against the metal bars over and over, and over again until he was too dazed to put up a struggle. Once he was incapacitated he pulled out and dragged away by Igor with Karl leading the way.

"Hey!" Leo yelled angrily. He knew he was making a big mistake, but he couldn't bear to watch as another brother was taken away to tortures unknown. Donnie had suffered through who knew what, Mikey was being tormented for information about their family. And now Raph was being taken from him to undergo his share of pain and suffering. He didn't care what consequences would be gained by this, they had to hear his anger and rage for their evil. "I will see that you cowards feel everything that you did to my brothers…" The blue-masked turtle would have said more but he suddenly felt like his head was spinning. The last thing he could consciously remember was Igor coldly glaring over his shoulder at him.

In his mind's eye, he could see Raph, Donnie, and Mikey battered and bloodied upon the laboratory floor. The memory Raph yelling in pain as he was zapped repeatedly with electric shocks. Mikey crying out in horror and pain as a needle was removed from his arm. His voice fading as his eyes glaze over with a blank sheen. Donnie screaming as the rotating blade of a saw descended towards him. Through it all the implication was clear, he had failed…he had let his brothers down…he couldn't save them... What sort of leader was he, if he couldn't even protect those who mattered to him most?

His hands clutched at his skull, his fingernails digging in hard enough to draw long thin lines as he scratched them downward. Tears seeped from his eyes as all he saw were the bodies of his loved ones strewn before him.

"Leo…" Donnie called the blue-masked-turtles name as he tried to pry his brother's hands away from his scalp. "Leo...wake up! What's wrong with you?! Leonardo!...Aniki..." His calls fell on deaf ear slits as Leonardo continued to scratch at his face in despair. Realizing that his brother's mind was gone, Donnie curled in a corner of the cage. His arms wrapped around his form as though trying to keep from breaking, a distressed look crossed his face as tears began to pool in his eyes.

"I failed…" Leo sobbed in despair as he continued to stare at the floor which he could see covered in the blood of his brothers. "I failed them all…I couldn't save em."

"No…please," Donnie whimpered as he brought his knees to his chest, wishing with all his might that he could just shrink away into oblivion. "Please...don't leave me alone."

* * *

A/N

For people who want a translation of the word Aniki. It is a friendly way of "Big Brother" Donnie is often depicted as holding the strongest loyalty and respect towards Leonardo, both as a leader and big brother. That isn't to say he follows Leo without question, while loyal to a fault Donnie will still point out when the leader-in-blue is making a decision that could negatively affect them or place their family in harm's way.

I personally can see Donnie calling Leo the Aniki moniker when it's just the two of them conversing without anyone else around, particularly as a way of telling Leo that what he has to say is important. Leo, in turn, may use Otouto which means "Little/Younger Brother" referring to Donatello. Again this would only be in private exchanges between them, though Leo might use Otouto when he privately worries for Donnie's well being.

The way I see these two is that they are two sides of the same coin. While their methods are different, their overall goals are the same and when they put their differences aside they do form a blend of Tradition and Innovation that creates a force that is devastating to numerous enemies. But if one of them is absent or incapacitated the other feels lost without their counterpart.


	6. We were never brothers(part 6)

Mikey's eyes opened and he found himself in the sewer lair he lived with his brothers. As much as he wanted to believe this was true, his ninja senses were nagging him that something wasn't right about this. He started to get up but felt like he was being restrained by an unseen force.

"Don't move," Raph said as almost seemed to materialize in front of his youngest brother.

"Raph!" Mikey nearly cried out his older brother's name in elation, but the nagging feeling that something was wrong continued to plague his mind. He knew he was gullible and naive, which was one of his weaknesses, but even he had to question all that was going on. Such as when did they get to the lair among other things. Even the way Raph spoke felt off, on top of the fact he felt like he was tied down by an invisible something.

"Where are Leo and Donnie?" Mikey asked.

"Donatello was roughed up rather badly," Raph answered. "Leo is looking after him." This response caused Mikey's ninja senses to flair, Raph hardly ever called Donnie by his full name. It was always Donnie or Don, if not an insulting pseudonym such as Dork-a-tello.

"Okay…" Mikey said as he tried to process what was wrong. "Then how did we get to the lair?"

"Our friends saved us of course," Raph answered as though the question didn't matter. This, however, struck an automatic red flag in Mikey's ninja senses. If this was really Raph, he would have said Slash or April and Casey had come to their rescue. Both April and Casey at the very least would be here. This was not Raph...this was all a lie to convince him about revealing secrets about his brothers...his family.

"Then tell me...what's your favorite pizza?" Mikey asked. Raph paused as though trying to figure out what the smaller turtle meant by the question.

"How is that relevant?" Raph asked.

"Ha! You're not Raphael," Mikey crowded "If you were Raph you would have said your favorite pizza was barbeque pork and mung beans with caramel sauce." As he said that the vision of the lair faded away leaving a rather stunned Farrell standing before him.

"Remarkable…" The elderly scientist commented. "A small dose of the Ipsaaspin normally keeps a mutant under its effects for at least four hours, how is it possible for you to resurface in under ten minutes?"

"Simple, Farrell-dude," Mikey smirked. "While I may not be as smart as Donnie, confident as Leo, or even as strong as Raph, I have ninja skills of my own. You see, I have "Ninja Senses" that tell me something is totally wrong. The whole time you were doing a phony version of Raph, my senses were screaming at me that none of this was real."

"Preposterous…" Farrell scoffed. "Obviously I need to do a higher dose with you." Piercing the cloth skin covering the opening of the vial with the needle he drew out a double measure of the truth serum before plunging the needle into Mikey's arm and depressing the plunger.

* * *

"Ow…" Raph groaned as he started to regain consciousness. His head throbbed from the number of times he had been slammed against the bars. "There are so many jerks who have butts I need to kick, I'll need Donnie to make a spreadsheet just give me a way to keep track of them all."

Shaking his head clear he finally took a moment to glance around him. He was strapped down to a metal table like before. Two electrodes were attached to his head, while others were attached to his arms, legs. A set of different electrodes were attached to his chest, these he speculated were meant to monitor his heart and lungs.

"Kore wa nani mo imishinai," Raph whispered to himself over and over again trying to focus away from what would possibly happen to him. He had to focus on the brothers that needed him. He needed to focus on saving them and the other mutants who were trapped in this horrible place. Both Leo and Donnie were okay, for now. Donnie would be brought to Farrell for another Mentalwave session...whatever that meant. He didn't know or understand what happened to the genius, he just knew it was bad...really, really bad. Then there were the rest of Farrell's prisoners. Ash had said that her boyfriend Fenris and herself were transformed during the mutagen rain, so that meant the four of them were responsible for their mutation. Who knew how many other innocent humans and animals had been imprisoned and killed in this hellish place. Just how many mutations have the Kraang caused, how many mutations where he and his brothers responsible for. In his heart, he was glad Slash wasn't a prisoner here, or even worse…Monalisa. Yes, she wasn't a mutant, but that wouldn't have stopped Farrell from wanting to experiment on her. Just the thought of that creepy human's filthy hands touching her, drawing scalpel blades across her soft skin, it made his blood boil with rage. Immediately he tried to calm down by thinking about the two brothers that were still locked up with the rest of the lab mutants, and Mikey who was anywhere in the bowels of this secret lab. He tried to recall the good times with them, anything to calm the rage he was feeling. Farrell and his two goons would get their comeuppance soon enough, giving in his rage right now would only waste energy.

As he struggled to focus on his brothers he began to take note of things he never had before…or if he had he had never really questioned it. Donnie was the only one of them with dark-colored eyes. Both Leo and Mikey had blue eyes, granted it was two different shades of blue, but it was the same color. While Raph's eyes were green in color, although different in tone it was still considered a light color. Also, the way Donnie's head was shaped was sort of different as well, and now that he thought about it, the patterning on Donnie's shell also had slight variations in it when compared to the rest of them.

"Could you…" Raph started to ask but then shook his head as Leo's earlier words echoed inside his mind.

 _"Maybe he was silent about this fact because he was protecting us. When I had asked about that DNA experiment he had been working on when we were kids, he had brushed it off as inconclusive. Then he started asking some rather vague-sounding questions, and that was what keyed me in that he had actually found something. Unfortunately, when I tried to demand what the questions were really implying he got evasive...The only reason D would have been evasive about his experiment was because he found something that he hadn't intended to learn. He knew this knowledge would cause a lot of damage if revealed. While nothing would change in actuality, for the turtle this knowledge pertained to...they would feel alienated and seen as different. If it was you Raph...you would lash out in anger because you would feel like you were discarded and abandoned by those around you. If it was Mikey, he would still see things as normal. However, it would be difficult for him to tell if we were honestly teasing him as a brother or if we were generally being mean to him because he wasn't one of us. And if was Donnie..._

Donnie had a hard enough time trying to fit in with the rest of the family. To point out any of these physical differences as proof that the only real relationship they had was that they were all turtles. That would be like telling Donnie to his face that he had never belonged with any of them, to begin with. Not to mention Raph himself hadn't exactly been subtle about bringing his immediate younger brother's legitimacy as a family member in to question on occasion.

* * *

*Memory*

" _Geeze Donnie," Raph groused as he sent Donnie crashing to the floor for what felt like the millionth time that week. He hated every time Splinter paired the two of them together as sparring partners. It always felt humiliating to be paired up with the one brother who could barely fight. Even Mikey as incompetent as he was he still gave more satisfaction as an opponent. "Can't you put...let's say about 90-95% more effort into your training?"_

 _Normally Donnie would have gotten up to spar once more, but this time he remained on the ground clearly upset with frustration. It wasn't just that Raphael had bested him once again._

 _Both Raph and Leo were more physically skilled at Ninjitsu, so they were naturally more difficult to beat. When he sparred with Leo, the turtle-in-blue would often congratulate his brother for what he accomplished, before giving advice as to what areas of his technique could be improved. Raph, on the other hand, was a brute and more often than not jumped conclusions about his younger brothers. Still to insinuate that he was putting little to no effort into his training stung more than his immediate older brother could possibly know._

" _YAME!" Splinter commanded calling the training session to a halt. Leo and Mikey were at his side in moments, but he couldn't bring himself to look at either of them._

" _Donnie, are you okay?" Mikey asked in honest concern. Donnie curled further upon himself before he got up and rushed out of the dojo fighting back tears. "Wait up, dude!" Mikey called as he raced after his immediate older brother and best friend._

" _Great going, Raph!" Leo barked at his immediate younger brother._

" _Hey," Raph said not seeing any problem with the situation. "It's not my fault Donnie doesn't bother training. With the way things are going, he's going to wind up as the most pathetic ninja in existence."_

" _He's still our brother," Leo scolded._

" _Sometimes I wonder," Raph growled back._

" _I mean it, Raph," Leo nearly shouted "Donnie isn't a strong fighter, but still tries. Can't you at least appreciate that?"_

" _Not if appreciating means jumping to his defense over every little thing like you do," Raph growled back. "How can he hope to improve if you're babying him all the time? What he needs is to grow a thicker skin with a healthy dose of tough love."_

" _Enough of this both of you," Splinter scolded. "Each of your brothers has their own strengths and their skills will improve over time. The partnerships each of you form in battle will be essential in the missions you will face. Donatello, for example, serves each of you in various ways, his skills act as a complement to you Leonardo enabling you both to reach the success of any mission. For Michelangelo, Donatello's calculating mind serves as a contrast that helps reign in his younger brothers' more wild nature. And for you Raphael, Donatello's gentle heart serves as a counterpoint that I hope will enable you to control to your fierce temper."_

" _All the same Sensei," Raph supplied. "Even Mikey can wipe the floor with him."_

" _Assumptions are dangerous to you, Raphael." Splinter chided. "An opponent that appears weak is no less of a threat than one who appears strong. Though you are right, I also have noticed that Donatello has struggled during training. But, I fear what is truly holding him back is not the lack of effort_ _, but the battles he is waging within his own heart._ _"_

* * *

"Oh good... you're awake," a snide voice commented. Raph mentally groaned as he recognized the owner of the voice. "I was almost worried that Igor put you in a coma when he was beating you against those bars...the keyword being almost. I swear he doesn't know his own strength at times. Though it would be entertaining to see him suffer Master Farrell's wrath if that was the case."

"Do I need to ask why you are even here, Rabbit Ears?" Raph groused, he was anything but in the mood to listen to the psychotic rabbit.

"No," Karl sniggered as he walked over to a large handled switch installed into one of the machines. "But you're going to find out anyway. Farrell will be here as soon as he's done pumping the "little one" for information. In the meantime I get to have some fun with you...let's start with a little electroshock therapy." Raph's eyes widened as the mutant rabbit threw the switch, his screams of agony echoed by Karl's maniacal laughter.

* * *

His blue eyes opened once more to find himself in the lair. Mikey groaned as it felt like his head was swimming in jello. He started to get up but sank as he felt like he was being held down. He kept getting this nagging feeling in the back of his mind that something wasn't right.

"Easy, little brother," Leo's voice cautioned as he appeared and knelt beside his youngest brother.

"Leo!" Mikey said joyously "Oh man, am I glad to see you. Were we rescued, did April and Casey come with the Mutanimals to save us?" Mikey noticed that Leo's eyes twitched slightly as if he was processing what those names meant...or was he mentally making note of them.

"Yes," Leo answered "but more about them later. I really need your help right now, it's Donatello, he was injured really badly by Karl during the escape. Do you know of any experiments or inventions that could help him?"

"Hmm, I don't know about experiments that could help," Mikey admitted. "I mean you know about them more then I do. I may spend more time in the lab with him than you or Raph. But, you'd know more about his experiments then I would, D always talks with you about things like that."

"But he has to have been developing something," Leo became oddly insistent. The nagging feeling in Mikey's head was becoming more insistent that something was not right with any of this. Again, how were they rescued, where were their friends...heck, where was Donnie if he was badly injured?

"Can I see Donnie?" Mikey asked innocently, he had to be sure it was true.

"Later, Little brother," Leo said. "Donatello is resting, you can see him when he wakes up."

"Okay then…" Mikey said cautiously, "Little Brother" was often Raph's endearing nickname for him. Leo had only called him 'Little Brother' only once in recent memory and that was back when they were dealing Kavaxas. "What about Raph?"

"He is escorting Casey and April home," Leo answered. "The Mutanimals left when they felt we were secure." Mikey's ninja senses were nagging him a mile a minute, there was something seriously wrong here but he wasn't entirely sure what.

Casey was capable of going to and from the lair with no problem, particularly now that the Foot and the Kraang were no longer a threat to the city. So he wouldn't have needed Raph to guide him home. The only reason Raph would be with him is if he needed a moment to blow some steam.

As for April, she had begun permanently living with them after she had graduated to full Kunoichi, she was still second or third level dan when compared to to the rest of them, and it was Leo's job to determine if she had ascended to the next dan. Karai also offered to help train her in some of the areas only females could cover which also meant that Karai would also assist April in reaching the final dan.

April also had her brownstone apartment on the surface, but her father had left the city not long after Splinter's funeral. He had said that he just couldn't stand all the crazy that had been occurring in the city so he was going to go live with his sister. He had tried to convince April to come with him, but the red-headed girl insisted that she was a woman grown and that her mutant companions needed her. He hadn't been happy about this and had expressed that he didn't like the idea of her living in the sewers, be he had left her the brownstone just so she had someplace normal to live.

"Please tell me what sort of things Donatello is working on right now!" Leo was sounding insistent. "If there is anything that could help him recover, I need to know."

"Well…" Mikey said as he racked his brain. He couldn't shake the notion that Leo was acting very un-Leo-like, such as how he kept referring to Donnie as Donatello. Leo only called his brothers by their full names as a way of indicating when something he had to say was of extream importance and he wanted that brother's full attention on the matter. The last time in recent memory he had even recalled Leo referring to Donnie by his full name was when he was bluffing to Dregg about the brainy turtle's absence back when the bug lord had noticed he had only captured three turtles instead of all four. And what was this about not seeing Donnie, why wouldn't Leo allow him to see Donnie if he was badly injured, that had never been an issue before? "He's been working on a batch of retromutagen. Bishop and the other Oolong are looking for mutants who have been affected by the Kraang and they are offering it as an opportunity to return to what they once were." Leo's eyes twitched again at this news.

"Did he tell you how he makes this...Retromutagen?" Leo asked.

"Dude, you *know* he wouldn't trust me with that?" Mikey answered. "All I know is April is a key part in some way, because she's a human/oolong mutant thing. But you know all about this, you were there when Donnie checked her DNA about why she has psychic powers." Leo's eyes suspiciously twitched again. Mikey's ninja senses were screaming that he had said too much. These were not the sort of questions Leo would be asking, particularly since he already knew the answers to these questions.

"What else can you tell me?" Leo asked.

"Sorry dude," Mikey said, "but my ninja senses are telling me you aren't Leo." The lair faded back to the secret lab. Farrell was still notably surprised by this

"Fascinating…" The elderly human commented.

"I know right," Mikey crowed. "I told you, my ninja senses let me know when there is bull shit present. Though you almost had me going with pretending to be, Leo. I suppose you're going to give me a bigger dose of that Ipsapiss stuff now?"

"No," Farrell said as he got up and put the Ipsaaspin back on the shelf before he reached into a small refrigerator and pulled out a plastic IV bag. "I didn't get much information, but I did get some to work with at this time. However, I can't let you go back to your brothers and warn them about the information you revealed." The IV bag was filled held had a milky white fluid that Mikey had a bad feeling about. Hanging the bag on an IV stand Farrell wheeled it closer to the orange-masked turtle.

"What are you going to do with that?" Mikey asked fearfully, he never liked needles. Even when they were kids, back when Splinter was making sure they were all vaccinated against the various diseases that lived in the sewers. His brothers had to hold him down while he screamed and thrashed trying to stop Splinter from injecting him with the needle. No matter how many times Donnie reassured him that it wouldn't hurt, it always did. Even the way Farrell had used the syringe with the truth serum had hurt with the way he jabbed the needle into his arm.

"This is called Vrucide," Farrell said as he attached a long thin tube to the bag and a needle to the other end. "It is a slow-acting poison, as it enters your bloodstream it will infect your organs causing them to shut down one by one. By the time the bag is empty...you'll be dead."

"NOOOO!" Mikey howled as he struggled to break free of the straps binding him to the table. Unfortunately, it was to no avail as they held tight.

"I must thank you though, you gave me some things to look for in your companion's fascinating mind." Farrell grinned fiendishly, as he inserted the needle into Mikey's wrist. "However, I have no further use for you, so this will be our goodbye." Turning a small valve attached to the drip tube the milky fluid began to dribble down the hose and into small turtles veins.

"This is evil!" Mikey shouted. "You're evil! Compared to the Shredder, you're the evilest human who has ever existed!" His words fell on deaf ears.

"Igor, could you collect the purple-masked one from the animal cages?" Farrell said as he left the room. "It's time for another session with the Mentalwave device." These were the last words Mikey heard as the door was slammed shut leaving the orange-masked turtle alone. Once more he struggled, attempting to pull out the needle stuck in his arm. Once again, the straps held firm leaving him no way to escape. Tears streamed from his baby-blue eyes as they trained on the ceiling above him. The only sound was the soft drip of the Vrucide as it traveled out of the IV.

"I don't want to die, I don't want to die," He whimpered. "There is so much I want to live for, so many pizza combinations I want to try. Video games I wanted to play, places I wanted to see." His whimpers turned the hiccups as he began to sob. "I wanted to see Donnie and April get married. I wanted to watch as the four of us grew old together, each of us laughing at how wrinkly and feeble we all looked as we remembered the good times. I wanted to see us each take on students of our own, passing on what Splinter had taught us. Guys...I'll be sure to tell Splinter you miss him. Know I love you...you three have been the best bro's a turtle could ask for." Mikey's words faded into howls of grief as the fear that he would die alone consumed him.

* * *

"Come on Monkey Brains," Casey said impatiently to the former neuroscientist. "Can't you find the guys any faster?"

"Let him work, Jones?" Karai glared daggers at the dark-haired boy. She knew time was of the essence to find the Turtles, and the more they waited the less likely any of them would find their shelled friends alive. Their only clue was the beacon Donnie had activated to alert them of where they were taken. Rockwell was busily trying to zero in on where the signal was pinpointing.

"Almost got it," the mutant monkey stated though he didn't appreciate being rushed, especially not by a smart-mouthed boy like Casey. "And…done!" The computer scanned through several locations before one word came up: BIO-Spawn.

"Whoa," Casey crowed "That has got to the be most metal name ever."

"We need to hurry," Dr. Rockwell said as he levitated out of his task chair. "This doesn't bode well for our shelled allies, the chairman of that science firm is a man named Dr. Farrell."

"I recognize that name." Mondo commented, "That's the dude that Vizioso wanted to slice open me and Donatello."

"I've heard of him," April added. "He's a widely respected biologist who made a lot of breakthroughs into scientific research. He uses his vast wealth and his genius to benefit humankind."

"That's respect is exactly what makes him so dangerous," Rockwell explained. "I must admit that at one time I had admired his work and achievements, that is until I learned his benevolence does not extend to mutants. He is very likely the person who helped develop the anti-mutant weapons that Vizioso was using. More than likely done in exchange for the capture of specimens for his scientific experiments."

"My friends!" Leatherhead growled angrily deep within his throat.

"Alright Mighty Mutanimals," Slash roared. "Let's assemble and move out! We've got some Turtles to save."

"If Raphael and the others are hurt," Y'Gythgba snarled as she unsheathed her lazar sword. The female Salamandrian's eyes glowed with rage.

"We'll make sure that we hurt the guys who did it even worse." Slash finished the alien newt's statement as he hefted his mace.


	7. We were never brothers(part 7)

How long had it been since Mikey was taken away? How long had it been since Raph had been taken? Donnie didn't know anymore as he huddled in the corner of the cage. The only companion he really had was his oldest brother and he was trapped in a psychosis of some sort. The purple-masked turtle couldn't be certain, but he had a feeling that it was Igor's doing. The way he had glared at Leo, just before the blue-masked turtle started scratching at his face and muttering about he had failed everyone. It almost looked like the opposite of what April had done to help Master Splinter and later on Professor Honeycutt. April had used her psychic abilities to heal and return someone to themselves, but this hypnotic suggestion was meant to cause harm which made their situation all the more worrisome.

If Karl was smarter then he leads on to Farrell, that would make him dangerous. Given how sociopathic he was, he was clearly too dangerous to remain a mutant. Fortunately, he was prone to be arrogant, which would lead to his downfall.

Donnie shuttered at this and secretly hoped there wasn't a version of himself in some other dimension who held the same level of egotism and never took responsibility when something he created went awry. Such as creating a version of Metalhead that would only listen to and praise him, all the while treating his brothers like they didn't even deserve to bask in his glory.

While Donatello himself naturally took pride in his intellect, he also tried to make sure that he didn't parade around as though that alone made him better than his brothers. He also wasn't afraid of eating a big slice of humble pie now and again about his blunders. While he did find it irritating when his brothers didn't grasp things the first time. And he hated it when Mikey didn't comprehend when something was not meant to be played around with due to how dangerous or delicate it could be. At the same time, even though his youngest brother annoyed him to no end, he also appreciated how Mikey keep him company in the lab even if all was doing was prattling on about nothing.

The sad reality was no one in his family had absolutely any idea how lonely possessing such a vast intellect actually was. They all interpreted the concept of him reclusively hiding in his lab as wanting to be in a place where he could think without being around them. The truth was actually the opposite, the reason he isolated himself in the lab was not that he thought he "too smart to hang out with the dumb-dumbs" as Raph so eloquently put it. It was because he didn't want to be a bother to them, he had learned long ago that his intelligence set him apart from the rest of his family. So in that regard, it was better he remained where he wouldn't be an irritation to them or in some cases a danger to everyone else.

While Karl was a huge concern, Igor worried Donatello even more than the mutant rabbit had. His obedience collar was not showing any sign that it was active which could mean one of two things. The first was Farrell trusted the mutant rat enough to deactivate his obedience collar or more likely scenario...Igor had found a way to deactivate his obedience collar and was using hypnotic suggestion to keep Farrell from noticing. If this assumption was correct, that made the mutant rat even more dangerous than Karl.

Donnie looked at his hands and flexed the three digits on each appendage. These hands were capable so much, they could build amazing machines, create things that were practically unheard of, heal away illnesses, and comfort distress. However, as a ninja, his hands were also forced to cause harm and even end a life when required.

His brothers embraced that concept, though they were always taught that killing was only to be left to the last resort. It was an option they inevitably would encounter in their lives. The Shredder was one such encounter, the crazed ninja had always been the greatest threat to their family. He wanted to kill Splinter for issues in their past, he wanted the Turtles dead to end the Hamato Clan Legacy, and he had targets on the lives of both April and Casey due to their association with their shelled companions. He didn't care how it happened, or even what he was interfering with just so long as he got his so-called revenge.

While he had been human, they understood he was dangerous and needed to be taken down. But, Splinter still held the vain hope that Oroku Saki would realize that the only person staining his honor was him and him alone. It would have resulted in him committing seppuku, but that was the only way for him to regain what little honor he had left. When he mutated, making himself into a demonic beast, he had proved that he had grown to be more of a threat then he had before. They had no choice but to end it and end it quickly so that way his insanity wouldn't spread any further.

Unfortunately, their Sensei paid the ultimate price for this, and the four of them were left orphaned. Splinter's murder only proved that the Shredder was too much of a threat to live. While he had succeeded in killing Splinter, that would only satisfy him for a time. Eventually, he would go after Karai a second time, to ensure the Hamato bloodline no longer existed. Coldly eliminating the girl he had raised and claimed to have loved as his own child. He would go after the Mutanimals, the Utroms, April's father and Aunt, as well as Casey's family, to ensure that any associations to the Hamato clan were expunged from the Earth. And he would go after the six of them, to end the Hamato Legacy once and for all. Even then, he would never be satisfied. The only way to end the cycle of vengeance forever was to end the Shredder for good.

Unlike his brothers, the concept of killing never sat well with him. Donatello loathed the thought of killing or hurting others, and he hated it when people put themselves at risk for no reason. Even when his brothers wanted to watch horror or at least overly violent films he would often choose to hide out in his lab or his room rather than watching. The only times he did join in was when Mikey insisted that his immediate older brother join them, or when Leo felt that some social time with the rest of them would do him some good.

Splinter had noticed and understood this difference in his second youngest son; often encouraging him to accept it as part of who he was as a warrior. Donnie, on the other hand, couldn't accept that part of himself, he didn't want his brothers to think less of him as a member of their team, particularly after a comment Raph had made years ago.

* * *

 _*Flashback*_

 _Donnie quietly sat on one of the side sloping ledges of the lair. As usual, he may as well be invisible as his brothers were concerned. Sighing through the nostrils in his snout he looked down at the weapon Splinter had handed him just the other day._

 _"The bo staff for a thoughtful soul and a peaceful heart." Splinter voice and reasoning had proclaimed. Alright, he may be a pacifist, and the bo staff was a pacifist's weapon. But why did his weapon have to be just an oversized stick? Why couldn't it be a cool weapon like the rest of his brothers got? The fact it had a hidden naginata blade also didn't help matters since that was weapon women were trained to use. A fact that Raph took particular joy in rubbing in_ his face.

" _Oh man," Raphael had crowed at him. "Here I thought you couldn't be any more girly, I guess we'll just have to call you our sister from now on."_

" _Sensei gave us our weapons for specific reasons." Leo had defended._

" _Yeah," Raph scoffed. "Still what does being given the most pathetic weapon imaginable say about Donnie? On top of that it has a naginata blade, that is a spear girls are taught how to use. The only thing more embarrassing than this would be to have a pacifist in the family."_

" _What's a pacifist?" Mikey asked his face screwing up as though trying to figure out what the term meant._

" _Pacifists are a type of coward," Raph explained._

" _Hang on Raph, cowards and pacifists are two different things," Leo said._

" _Neither likes to fight," Raph snarled "If you asked me, I don't see much of a difference. Anyone who refuses to fight is a coward plain and simple." Leo had looked like he wanted to object and explain there was a difference. However, he slumped his shoulders knowing that it was pointless to try._

 _Raph obviously had no clue what he was talking about. At the same time, Donnie didn't know how he would be able to approach his brothers about his pacifism. As much as Splinter did encourage him to embrace this difference, Donnie just couldn't. It would be only giving Raph more justification in pointing out how worthless he actually was._

 _Donnie was so deep in his thoughts he almost didn't notice when one of his brothers came over and sat next to him. He didn't need to make many guesses as to who it was, and he knew for a fact it wasn't Raph or Mikey. Raph typically wouldn't be anywhere near his immediate younger brother. And when he was it was generally to push him around or bug him simply because he felt like it. Mikey, on the other hand, would boisterously try to get his brother's attention, regardless of whether Donnie was aware of him or not._

 _Glancing up he found Leo sitting next to him eyeing him with brotherly concern._

 _"Hey," the blue-masked turtle said in greeting. Donnie didn't respond as his eyes returned to the staff he had laid across his lap._

 _"Still bummed about your weapon?" Leo interpreted._

 _"Yeah," Donnie sighed. "I know our weapons are supposed to choose us, but why did my weapon have to be just a stick? I was hoping for a weapon like the one you guys were given." Leo nodded understanding, of all of them Donnie did struggle quite a bit in his ninja training and this was not for lack of trying or effort as much as Raph would like to insist otherwise. He had seen Donnie on several occasions training in the Dojo by himself to try and improve his skill. However, Leo had also noticed his second brother's movements were always too cautious which majority of the time suggested he was in his thoughts calculating every move and its outcome. This unfortunately advertised whatever move he was going to evidently make, which would, in turn, give Leo and Raph a means to counteract it. All of them would habitually tease and chastise Donnie for being a weaker fighter, even Leo himself would admit guilt in this. It made sense that the purple-masked turtle would have hoped to have a weapon that would make him appear more capable as a warrior._

 _"Maybe…" Leo said trying to be encouraging. "Maybe a stick is all you really need as a weapon."_

 _"Right...to point out I'm the weakest fighter on the team." Donnie sighed bitterly. Leo's eyes widened in concern if Donnie was able to go into a dark place like this as an eight-year-old what did that say about when he became a teenager or beyond that._

 _"Don't let what Raph says get you down," Leo said as he wrapped a comforting hand around his second brother's shoulders. "No matter what he says or thinks, you are anything but weak. This month alone I've noticed a lot of improvement on your part during training. If anyone pegs you as being a weak fighter, that's their fatal mistake, after all, there are aspects that you possess that do make you formidable, such as your tenacity. But what really makes you dangerous is your intellect, you're able to read and understand what is going on around you and come up with solutions to get around any problem. Maybe there are aspects of yourself that haven't been tapped into yet. Or even ones you yourself haven't realized are essential to who you are."_

 _Donnie gave a small smile as he leaned against his older brother's shoulder. Leo always seemed to know what he needed to hear whenever he was distressed._

 _"As for why you were given a bo staff," Leo continued as he drew one of his katana blades. "Sensei told me that it's our journey to learn and understand why our particular weapons chose us. When he gave me my katana he said they were 'a weapon for those with courage and keen skill'. I feel it's meant to tell me that I will be a great leader one day. When Raph got his sai he was told they were '_ _for a fierce and fearless warrior who will always fight the hardest for his family'. I think his journey is to learn how to channel his temper and use that to protect those around him. While Raph can be a real jerk much of the time, he also cares about us in his own way and would do what he could to protect us."_

 _"What about Mikey," Donnie commented. "Master Splinter didn't have a reason for why the nunchucks chose him aside from saying they were perfect for him."_

 _"Yeah, that's a tough one," Leo agreed. "Mikey tends to be erratic much of the time, and both nunchucks and kusarigama are erratic weapons that require a lot of concentration to control. It's likely that Mikey's journey is meant to teach him how to focus and concentrate."_

 _"As if that will happen," Donnie snarked as a smile formed across his face. Leo also chuckled in response, seeing his second brother was back to his normal self he patted Donnie on the shoulder before he got up joined Raph and Mikey in watching their movie. Donatello didn't get up to join them, he gazed down at his staff for a time wondering if he should have confided in Leo about being a pacifist. In the end, he decided it was for the best that none of his brothers knew, if he was going to be part of their team, he had to fight as they did. There was no place for a pacifist in battle._

 _*End Flashback*_

* * *

Looking back at his hands, Donnie sighed. As much has his hands were capable of comfort and healing, he could fix almost every technical or maintenance problem that arose. The only thing he couldn't fix was death, he understood that death wasn't something that could be fixed. After all, it came to everyone, it didn't discern who it came for or when or why...some calmly left with it while others fought tooth and nail against it. But still there was a big difference between peacefully leaving this world surrounded by their loved ones and leaving it in fear and pain.

If Donnie had been able to fix death, maybe Splinter would be at the lair waiting for them to return to the lair after their patrol. Or maybe he would be out with April and Casey trying to find them. It just didn't feel right that someone so good and caring could be callously taken away from them by a spiteful hand. There had been so many times over the past few years that they had nearly lost, if not actually lost loved ones.

Leo was nearly lost after the first Kraang invasion, Splinter was supposedly lost during the second, and Leo was nearly killed as well. After Leo awoke they nearly lost Raph when he had been turned into a plant. Then after they returned to New York, they all nearly lost their lives at the hands of Karai, once by poison and once by torture. During the Triceraton invasion, he had vague memories of Splinter being forced to rely on the assistance of the Shredder to stop the threat upon their world. Only for Shredder to stab Splinter from behind killing him in cold blood and letting the rest of the world suffer and die with that one act, just so he can have his blind vengeance. This event, of course, didn't happen, it was likely a residual memory of those turtles who had arrived on Earth from Space. They had prevented the timeline they had left, leaving it to just be a passing nightmare following their journey into space. But regardless they did lose Professor Honeycutt instead, a person who they had grown to respect and trust. A person who had betrayed them by revealing he had created the very weapon they were trying to obtain and destroy. He was one of the first people Donatello felt he could look up to as a fellow genius. And at the same time, it also gave him the chance to see what his brothers must feel around him. How intimidating it could be to be with someone who intellectually outclassed you.

Following their return from space, there had been a series of events that seemed to say that fate was telling them they would lose someone in their family. And it was a toss-up between Splinter or Donatello, as the two of them had multiple and in the purple-masked turtle's case a literal brush with death over the final three months before Splinter's murder. From nearly being killed trying to shield Raph and Mikey in a factory that was about to explode. To being hit by a mutant hunter rocket and knocked unconscious trying to save Raph from Vizioso's goons. Soon after he had nearly been cut open by them, not because Vizioso and his thugs had any invested interest in anatomical research. To them, it was just an alternate means of seeing Mondo and himself suffering in pain just for the crime of being mutants. Then finally being disassembled into hundreds of millions of tiny atoms just for trying to help break April free from the Aeon crystal that was controlling her.

As for Splinter, he was nearly lost to them in the undercity as he fell into one of the open chasms with the Shredder. He could still hear himself cry out "Sensei" in anguish as they helplessly watched their teacher/father tumble into the open void and plunge down...down...down into the darkness. By all logic, neither Splinter nor the Shredder regardless of his mutant form should have survived. They knew they couldn't take chances though, the Shredder could still have found a way to climb out. No matter what, they had to find Splinter whether alive or dead...they would find him, or else the Shredder and his goons would.

While drawing out the plans and teams Leo had eyed his second brother with some concern. He had noted Donnie had gone rather quiet during their declarations on retrieving Splinter and his actions had become rather mechanical, neither of which was a good sign. The way Karai and April whispered to the leader-in-blue while pointedly looking at him it was clear his oldest brother's concerns were shared by others. Leo had even approached Donnie while he was getting into his grappling system gear so he could enter the undercity just to ask if he could handle the task given or should someone else go in his place. Raph was going to be at the chasm mouth to make sure none of the Shredder's goons came looking for Splinter's body. While he stayed closer to the surface to make sure the Shredder didn't return to take out the recovery party. Casey or Raph could just as easily be sent down the chasm with Mikey. Donnie had shaken his head in response and insisted he was okay to go. Leo was dubious but had no time or patience to argue the issue.

Both Donnie and Mikey had managed to find Splinter who was miraculously alive and helped carry him to the top of the chasm to an overjoyed Raphael. Taking matters of leadership into his own hands, Donnie told them they needed to get Splinter to the lair right away. He was weak and feverish on top of having a broken leg. However, when they returned to the lair it was to find Leo had been seriously injured in his fight against the Super Shredder leaving Donnie with two patients to tend to. Raph, fortunately, had offered to tend to Splinter, as he felt Leo would need Donnie's ministrations more.

Sadly this happy reunion was the beginning of the second to last month before Splinter's murder. On more than one occasion Donnie wondered why Splinter had paired off their groups the way he had. It was possible he was trying to protect the three of them since it would have given the Shredder more people to hurt Splinter with. Also the three of them-Leo and himself especially- had been known to be self-sacrificing, so it would not be unheard of for one of them to throw themselves in front of Splinter to shield him from a killing blow. Or perhaps, since the three of them were more open to their emotions then Raph was. Seeing Splinter die at the hands of their greatest enemy would have been hard for them to handle.

He could still remember Leo traveling to the Wolf Hotel at top speed, all the while he muttered to himself that they weren't going to make it. The only sound in the Shellraiser was from Mikey calling out directions before he said: "I hope we're not too late." Donnie had remained quiet the entire trip, he could feel the anxiety of the brothers who were with him along with his own. He didn't want to say or do anything that could increase or unbalance the uneasy tension that ran thick throughout the armored streetcar. Instead, he turned to the one thing he rarely took stock in, prayer. He prayed they would get there in time to stop their Sensei's demise. If they lost Splinter now, what would have been the point of all the other times they had fought to save their Sensei. What was the point of fate giving him a reprieve from death only for their Sensei to be taken in his place barely two weeks afterward? At least then he wouldn't have lived to see this horrible day come to fruition.

When the three turtles had finally arrived, it was just in time to see the Super Shredder climb over the side of the Wolf Hotel like a spider. Before Splinter's body was hurled over the side like it was little more than a sack of garbage...blood trailing out from the wound in his chest. The three of them racing forward to break their teachers fall as he plummeted hundreds of feet to the ground and hit the pavement with a sickening thud. Leo giving an anguished wail of "NOOOO!" before he and Mikey ran up to their Sensei's body. Donnie ran up with them, but his pace was slower than his brothers...he knew...he knew for certain their father was gone. The way Leo tearfully said the words "Father...father!" as though begging him to awaken was only to show that he didn't want to accept the truth before their eyes. Splinter was dead...and this time...he was gone for good. The core of their family and been destroyed, shattering their makeshift family completely.

What had Splinter's final moments been like? Was he afraid? Did he feel regret that this was how things were going to end for him? Did he feel a sense of grief that he would never watch his teenage sons grow into the men they would be in their twenties and beyond? Or did he feel a sense of peace and calm when the end came? While he would have felt sad he would never see his sons again, did he feel a sense of happiness that he would be reunited in paradise with his beloved Tang Shen? Would he have felt pride in knowing that he seen his four sons reach adulthood and that he had taught them everything they needed to know in order to face the world around them? That they had each other as well as an extended family of friends and allies to teach and fight alongside them. Donnie had often contemplated this following Splinter's death because that was a horrible event all of them would remember to the end of their days.

This was also what worried him about Raph and Mikey now. What was happening to them? Were the two of them alright? In the eighteen years, he had been alive, he had seen and witnessed so much pain, so much suffering. He had seen innocent and good people suffer fates that were never meant to happen. Even the deaths he had witnessed had been more than he could emotionally handle, and he couldn't bear the thought of losing anyone else, not his brothers, not April, not even Casey. That was what motivated him to go after Vizioso when they were trying to obtain the Shredder's heart to prevent him from being resurrected.

Like always, Leo could sense something was wrong with his second brother but didn't address the problem until after the mission was over. Still, he also knew the words Donnie needed to hear in his darkest moment as he yelled: "Donnie, don't lose sight of who you are!" This statement encouraged Donatello to look into the blade of his Naginata. What he saw reflected back, scared him, his eyes looked deranged with hatred and anger. The only thing that would have been worse was to see the mask of the Shredder superimposed over his own face. He knew if he gave in to this impulse, he would not only be proving to Vizioso they were the monsters the ugly, morbidly rotund human saw them as. He would lose everything and nothing he said or did would make up for the damage caused. It would have destroyed his soul and everything he stood for...forever. The only option he could take was the one the Shredder had refused to take long ago, the path of acceptance. All Vizioso had been was a miserable man who felt he could bully and push around whoever he liked. Now he was helpless and vulnerable before his perceived foe...there was no honor in slaying someone who was no longer a threat. He would face judgment for who he was... not at the hands of a mutant, but at the hands of his own kind. Throwing the disgusting human down to the floor, Donnie pulled the vile containing the Shredder's heart and tossed it to Leo.

The proud smile that spread across his oldest brother's face was proof enough to show that he made the right decision. Unfortunately, their victory was short-lived as Kavaxas and Tiger Claw burst into the room to take the heart for themselves. In all rights, the two of them could have been killed or had their souls drained from their bodies by the Demodragon. Instead, he blasting them out of the building to the ground below. Most likely so they could live to see his own goals come into being.

After they had returned to the lair, Donnie had looked over and patched up Mikey's injuries. The youngest turtle was heavily bruised and had become concussed following his fall from the subway train. Once all his injuries had been bandaged he was instructed to go get some rest on the couches of the pit. As he had left the lab he had taken sight of Leo relaying what happened to April, Raph, and Karai. While the Foot Clan Kunoichi had been with them and understood they had failed to get the Shredder's heart, she didn't completely know the whole story. The purple-mask turtle just continued walking to his room, he knew his oldest brother would pay him a visit soon enough.

* * *

 _*Flashback*_

 _The knock on the door caused Donnie to mentally groan from where he lay sprawled across his bed. He knew this was going to happen, he was going to hear about how he had put the mission at risk just because he was seeking vengeance for something that was trivial compared to what was at stake. As if he didn't feel bad enough already._

 _~Might as well get this over with~_

 _"Come in…" Donnie responded allowing entry into his small dwelling. The door opened as the person on the other side of the door entered the room. He didn't need to look towards the door to see who had entered, he already knew his oldest brother was there._

 _There was silence as the blue-masked turtle seemed to regard him, as though weighing his words about how he was going to approach the events of that night._

 _"Leo," Donnie sighed as he lay one arm across his eyes. "I'm not in the mood for a lecture. I know *I* jeopardized the mission, I screwed everything up because *I* wanted to get back at Vizioso for when he wanted to cut me open months ago. And if I had just done things as planned *we* would have gotten the heart and returned to the sewers before Kavaxas and Tiger Claw could take it from us. Could you just tell me what consequences I have coming? Or do you believe I need to feel worse about all that happened tonight?"_

 _Again the only response he received was silence before he heard Leonardo approach and felt the mattress dip down as his brother's weight was added to it._

 _"I'm not here to lecture you," Leo said. His voice wasn't angry or disappointed...it was mostly unreadable though there was a level of concern mixed in. "However, I do feel I am entitled to an explanation for everything that has been going on. Then maybe I can decide what sort of punishment you deserve for what happened tonight."_

 _"What's there to say," Donnie responded. "You know what happened that night months ago, Raph left the lair after something I said. The Mutanimals arrived to warn us that Vizioso and his goons were armed with mutant hunter weapons. So I went after Raph to try and warn him about the danger and convince him to come back home. Mondo Gecko went with me to help find him. When we did find him, the three of us were attacked by Vizioso's goons. Raph was beaten to a pulp, I was knocked out by a mutant hunter rocket when I was trying to save him, and then both Mondo Gecko and myself were taken prisoner so we could be disemboweled for their amusement."_

 _"That's not the real reason you went after Vizioso tonight." Leo pointed out. "You've had brushes with death before then. And technically you have also died...at April's hands. Yet, you haven't sworn vengeance for any of those times. What makes Vizioso different? D, I know you well enough to know the hostility you displayed tonight is not normal behavior from you. Normal for Raph, maybe...but not you."_

 _"How long have you known?" Donnie asked as he turned over on to his side and gazed up at his brother._

 _"How long have I known you are a pacifist?" Leo interpreted, Donnie nodded in response._

 _"I think…" Leo admitted. "I think I may have always known. I just never realized it before we met the Fugitoid. It's not that there weren't signs, after all, you've always been sensitive when it's come violence. When Raph and I have our arguments, you mediate them if you can...and when you can't you comfort Mikey. If you figure out a way to get past a conflict without fighting, you suggest that option. You care about innocent people getting hurt or even involved in our conflicts. Master Splinter had even said on a couple of occasions that you were a different type of fighter than the rest of us, we just never understood what he meant by that."_

 _"The words you yelled out when I was about to kill Vizioso," Donnie explained, "They were the same ones that Master Splinter had said to me long ago, during a time I was doubting myself and who I was as a ninja."_

 _"I remembered overhearing Sensei saying those exact same words," Leo confided. "I don't know why, but I felt those words were what you needed to hear before you made a serious mistake that you would regret the rest of your life. What bothers me about all this is why you wouldn't say anything about any of this sooner?"_

 _"I wanted to," Donnie admitted. "I wanted to so many times when we were children, but I never knew how to tell you. Then Raph said something that told me it was better I didn't reveal that side of myself, I didn't want him to have any reason to believe I shouldn't be part of the team. I felt that if I wasn't like the rest of you, then I wouldn't belong." Leo was going to ask what Raph had said, but then he remembered. Raph had proclaimed when they had received their weapons about how it would be embarrassing to have a pacifist in the family because he didn't feel there was a difference between pacifism and cowardice._

 _"So all this time…" Leo looked up as though realizing something. "When you were struggling with training, it wasn't that you were a weaker fighter than the rest of us. What was really holding you back was because you were trying to be something your not."_

 _"I guess, you can say that." Donnie sighed as he rolled onto his back again and dejectedly put his arm over his eyes. He wished his oldest brother could just leave him to his misery._

 _"Raph was wrong back then," Leo stated. "A coward is a person who hurts people who can't fight back or hunts them down for petty reasons. Someone like you fights battles, by finding solutions where conflicts can be avoided or lessened. And by preventing situations where innocent people could get hurt. Most of the time when you did offer these suggestions or told us what needed to be done, we didn't listen to you when we should have, and for that I'm sorry. Still, this doesn't explain why you were wanting revenge against Vizioso, did he do something to you? Something to hurt you, something you never told us about? Is that why you went after him?"_

 _Donatello just rolled onto his other side so his shell was facing his brother. He didn't want to have this conversation, he just wanted to be left alone._

 _"D, please talk to me," Leo pleaded. "If something happened, I want to help, but I can't if you won't let me. You wouldn't have acted the way you did tonight without reason, and I'm willing to sit here all night if I have to. So please, just talk to me." Donnie hugged his arms around himself as he appeared to shake like he was having an anxiety attack._

 _"It's...it's not what he did that bothered me," Donnie sighed as the bite of a sob entered his voice. "It's his reasons for why he felt mutants should be killed off. All the enemies we have faced have had legitimate reasons to see us dead, the Foot Clan wanted to destroy us because of our association to Splinter. The Kraang wanted us dead because we stood in the way of their being able to mutate the Earth. The Triceratons saw us as a nuisance because we were trying to get the pieces of the Heart of Darkness, which they wanted for their own ends. Dregg hunted us down out of principle because we humiliated him by accident. So he wanted to hunt us down to show us and the rest of the universe what happens when someone crosses him." Leo quietly listened as his brother gave his explanation, all the while he felt like some answers were starting to click into place like puzzle pieces. Donnie's actions tonight weren't motivated by anger or rage, they were motivated by fear._

 _"As for you and April," Donnie continued. "April destroyed me, yes, but it wasn't her...not really. It was the Aeon controlling her. I had only gotten through to April for a moment, and that was enough for the corrupt Aeon to fear the possibility that I could break April free from her control. For you, the factory event was a very unfortunate accident. You weren't expecting Raph, Mikey, or myself to go after you that night, and if I hadn't noticed the explosives you would likely be an only child to this day."_

 _"So, with Vizioso...he…" Leo started to encourage his second brother. He had a feeling he knew what Donnie was going to say, but he needed to hear him say it._

 _"The reason he wanted us all dead was because of the one thing we couldn't help," Donnie said as he hugged his arms tighter around himself. His knees tucking up to his chest as he began to curl into a ball. "He wanted to get rid of us just because we were mutants, that was the only reason he felt we deserved to be destroyed. I had attempted to appeal to his humanity by telling him that most of the mutants in the city, had been humans beforehand and there were other ways to deal with the mutant population besides kill them. Unfortunately, he just said that it didn't matter if they had been human in the past. They were mutants now, and that was all he needed to know. I'm aware humans have been known to hate and kill one another based on things a person couldn't help being, and humans have hurt and killed their own for reasons that are worse than that. But that didn't make it any less painful to experience someone telling you that you deserved death just because you couldn't help being what you were. After we lost Splinter…"_

 _"You knew Vizioso would be a danger, so you wanted to go after him before he came after us." Leo finished. Donnie nodded in response, a sob he was attempting to fight back forced its way to the surface. "Come here," Leo calmly said as he gathered his distressed brother into his arms. At last, he understood why Donnie had been willing to jeopardize the mission. He understood what was at stake, but he didn't want to risk losing anyone else he loved and cared for. The blue-masked turtle couldn't even begin to wonder how emotionally distressing Splinter's death had been for any of his brothers. The whole time he had only been thinking of his own pain, how the responsibility of this family had crash-landed on his young shoulders. Everyone else had been an afterthought, and when his brothers appeared to move on he took it as a sign that they felt their Sensei hadn't mattered. Yet the truth was that he had mattered to them, they just handled their grief differently then he had. Raph had let go of his anger and grief over Splinter's death because he knew no matter how many tears they shed, Splinter would not be coming back. Mikey had masked his pain by reverting to his childish antics. And Donnie as usual, bottled away his grief and suffering. Acting like everything was normal when in reality there was a storm brewing below the surface._

 _Donnie didn't fight his oldest brother's embrace as he rested his head against Leo's shoulder, but he sniveled as though he was trying to fight tears that desperately wanted to fall._

 _"Shhhh," Leo soothed. "It's alright, just let it all out, D. Bottling up your pain is only going to hurt you so just let it go...let it all go, I'm right here." As though he had been waiting for permission Donatello heaved a heavy sob as the tears he had been holding back were released. Leo held his second brother fiercely, tears of his own silently descending down his cheeks. He grieved for everything Donnie had experienced at Vizioso's hands, he cried for losses they had faced in the past few years. He cried for his brothers because there was no one else to cry for._

 _After several minutes that felt like hours Donnie's tears ceased. The two of them drained from the events of that night and from the intense emotion they had just released. In the past after moments like this, the two of them would have curled up together in the same bed finding comfort in the presence of each other. But that had been back when they had been young children, at eighteen years of age that ranged on ridiculous. While they were a lot more close-knit than most human families and it wasn't unheard for them to seek comfort from one another. There were still other problematic issues. Such as Donnie's bed, for example, the wood frame of the camp bed was designed to have only one occupant. The only way they could share the same bed here would result in them being in a couple of rather suggestive and compromising positions that none of the others would let them live down._

 _Since his room was bigger they could sleep there, again Mikey and Casey might find a reason to tease them about that. And sooner or later there would inevitably come a time when even the four of them wouldn't be together. They couldn't just curl up with each other whenever they were distressed, they would have to deal with whatever bothered them on their own._

 _"Why don't I stay here for right now," Leo suggested. "Until you fall asleep." Donnie nodded his head in understanding as wiped any remaining tears out of his eyes. Settling down the purple-masked turtle closed his eyes. Leo calmly ran his hand up and down his younger brother's shell helping him ease into the peacefulness of slumber. Once he was sure Donnie was asleep, he got up and left closing the door behind him._

 _*End Flashback*_

* * *

Donnie was not surprised when Igor appeared and indicated he was to come with him. Reluctantly he got up and obediently walked to the door. Raph had proven that resisting him would have serious consequences and the only person who could make any objection was still trapped in a delusion that was forcing him to manically claw at his own face in terror. Leo was completely oblivious to the fact his second brother was being taken to experience another Mentalwave session. He had been scrabbling at his face so hard that long welts had formed and they had started to draw blood. Donnie cast his oldest brother one last sad glance as though knowing this would be the last memory he would have of his oldest brother. Exiting the cage, he followed Igor out of the room as though he was being led to his own execution.


	8. We were never brothers(part 8)

**A/N: Hello my wonderful readers…It's been a while. It's been a while since I've worked on this fic; I've been busy making changes with my life such as looking for employment, starting college again, working on my Zazzle Shops and more or less going about my 37-year-old existence. So my fics have been more or less placed on the back burner.**

 **Finally, I'm back with another chapter of this fic. For people who are following my Yaoi AU I am still working on that, but I am doing some retooling here and there to flesh out some situations or increase the tension.**

Donnie followed the rat mutant down the labyrinthine hallways of the BIO-Spawn science facility. He maintained a level of obedience; all the while he assessed everything around him as he tried to figure out a way he could escape. If he could find a way to get away from Igor, he could locate and free Mikey and Raph from whatever tortures they were being subjected to. Once he had them, they could go back for Leo and free the other mutants. Or if he wasn't able to get to Raph or Mikey, he could make it out of the secret lab facility long enough to get in touch with April, Karai, and or the Mutanimals. Then he could lead them to this place and stop Farrell's torture and experiments for good.

So far the walls of the hallway yielded nothing; if he could get into one of the rooms maybe he could find something he could use as a weapon or perhaps as a means to create a distraction that would enable him to locate Raph and Mikey. He could make out a familiar bellowing scream that could only be Raphael so that proved he was nearby, which at least meant he wouldn't have to look very far for his hot-headed brother. So that left Mikey as the only one who was relatively unaccounted for.

Still, there was the issue with getting past Igor which was a difficult problem where things stood. Not to mention that if he could by chance overpower and incapacitate the mutated rat, Karl and Farrell himself still remained as present threats that would hinder him from saving his brothers. So far the only perceivable weakness Igor possessed was his obedience collar. If the mutant rat had found a way to deactivate it perhaps there was a way to reactivate it or set it off. As much as Donnie loathed the idea of taking a life, there were some enemies that wouldn't be stopped by anything short of immediate death. This idea was reluctantly brushed aside. He knew couldn't take on Igor directly on his own; the mutant rat was far too strong. The only way he would be able to get near the obedience collar would be to take Igor by surprise, and even then he would have to examine it before he could figure out how to activate it or detonate it. There was no way the mutant rat would ever give him the time to do so.

As they walked Donatello made note of a fire hose box up ahead. The purple-masked turtle looked hopeful at the sight of it. The hose could be used to tie up the brutish rat. He wouldn't be tied up for very long, but perhaps he could be tied up long enough for the purple-masked turtle to put some distance between them. If anything the water pressure from the hose could be used to overpower Igor and possibly render him unconscious. The fire ax could also be used as a weapon as well, while it wouldn't have the familiar heft of his rokushakubo it would be able to function in the same manner as a masukari axe. Plus it would certainly give the bo staff master more equal footing against the mutant rat's strength, and perhaps do enough damage to seriously maim or hobble him.

As though sensing exactly what Donnie was thinking Igor paused. Turning he coolly regarded the turtle as though saying: 'You seriously do * _not*_ want to do that.' Donnie responded by giving a wide nervous smile in a vain attempt at appearing innocent. Igor jerked his head in a manner that made it clear that he expected Donatello to continue following to their destination without resistance or else.

Reluctantly but obediently the brown-eyed turtle followed, mentally he kicked himself. He had forgotten that Igor was psychic. He could use mental suggestion, who was to say he couldn't read thoughts too. Donnie may as well have been openly plotting his escape attempts aloud for the mutant rat to hear.

All too soon Donnie found himself at the door of a room with a familiar-looking operating table. Though this room didn't have the radial saw as before. Grabbing the purple-masked turtle by the arm in a manner that felt rougher than necessary, Igor pulled his charge into the room. Throwing Donatello against the operating table the white rat immediately secured his arms and legs with the magnetic cuffs before he had any chance to resist.

Letting out an animalistic grunt Igor left the room leaving Donatello to his thoughts. The brainy turtle immediately assessed and calculated what options he had. The cuffs securing him to the table were metal, not leather like they had been before. They were also magnetic which meant once they were closed the magnet would need to be turned off. Just his luck there was nothing even remotely within reach that he could use to attempt to deactivate the shackles or fend off Farrell and his servants until help arrived.

Igor returned with a familiar-looking helmet which caused Donnie's heart to sink. He could try and dissuade Farrell with arbitrary childhood memories; he had eighteen years' worth of them after all. Still, many of those memories were precious, and in just the span of an hour, a number of these precious memories had already been destroyed. Even worse is the more Farrell pried he would sooner or later come across something important, things that should be kept strictly to a select few such as the Utrom's, or the Retromutagen and how it was created. Or even Professor Honeycutt, and their time in space, even Splinter had enough sense not to pry too much into what his sons had done on their journey beyond their solar system. He had had questions for certain, but he could also sense there was a lot of distress and moments they weren't ready to face until they were ready.

The mutant rat secured the helmet over Donatello's head all the while muttering to himself in animalistic gibberish. The purple-masked turtle couldn't make out what was being said, but he would have wagered it was not something pleasant. Igor then grabbed an executives chair that rested near the computer consols and placed it in the center of the room facing the mutant turtle. As though that was his cue Farrell walked into the room and approached the restrained Turtle, his mouth twisted into a maniacal grin.

"Hello again my young friend," Farrell said as he tenderly placed his hand on the young turtle's cheek. Donnie cringed at the touch, caring gestures like this when they were given by his brothers, April, or even Splinter had been warm and appreciated, but this…this felt slimy and wrong.

"I do hope you will be a little more cooperative this session," Farrell said as Igor handed him his helmet before he walked to the empty chair. "I wasn't able to get as much information from the "Little One" as I had hoped. However, I was able to glean some information such as you created…now, what did he call it….Retro…Mutagen." Donnie drew an inward breath in response, even Mikey knew better than to openly talk about the Retromutagen. Something had to have been used to get him to say it, he soon got his answer as Farrell continued to gloat.

"I do admit that he did impress me," Farrell commented, "I had to use a higher dose of Ipsaaspin then I normally use and even then he was able to resurface after a few minutes."

"You used…Ipsaapspin on…Mikey," Donnie gasped. He had heard of that particular truth serum and how strong it was. It was a prized goto drug for people in the criminal underworld. Anyone who was under its effects would willingly offer any information required of them, such as passcodes to supercomputers to pin numbers to their bank accounts. Though it wasn't meant to be delivered in high or multiple doses as it could cause things such as irreparable brain damage to its victims. Mikey may have been able to resist it due to his "Ninja Senses" if that was even what they were. Donnie like the rest of his brothers often chocked this concept to Mikey being weird as usual. Now he wasn't so sure. Was it possible that Mikey was gaining latent psychic abilities like April? His abilities weren't the same as April's but empathic abilities did fall into the psychic gifts category. Maybe…if they got out of here alive it may be of interest to include a study on Mikey's "Ninja Senses," into his studies on psychic research.

"Perhaps, I was seeking information from the wrong turtle," Farrell stated with an air that suggested that he knew something that would deeply wound his current plaything. "The "Little One" did mention that you did go to the blue-masked one about your experiments rather than the rest of your companions. Despite the fact, the "Little One" does keep you company in your laboratory. Sadly, I have gained everything I can hope to get from him." Donnie could feel in his heart tighten in fear. He didn't want to hear what Farrell had done, but he had to know what had befallen his only younger brother.

"What did you do to Mikey?" Donnie demanded.

"I've put him on a Vrucide drip," Farrell calmly informed as though this was nothing of importance. Donatello blanched almost completely white at this news. He tried to calm himself by focusing on the fact that Mikey was only been injected into his body only moments before. He likely had about three maybe four hours before there was nothing anyone could except keep Mikey comfortable until the very end. Unfortunately, the longer he was on the poison drip the more detrimental to his health it would be. Even if they could get to him in time, it could still cause permanent organ failure that would affect him for the rest of his life. Donnie wasn't even sure something like the Healing Hands would be enough to fix the damage done.

"Speechless I see," Farrell commented. "I half expected you to be screaming at me about how I'm performing euthanasia on one of your companions." Donnie glowered at the elderly human before him.

"You monster," Donnie growled dangerously.

"Really now," Farrell chided. "Isn't that a little dramatic. You and your kind are just worthless beasts that this city has no need for, so you may as well be some use to me. Your companion has provided me with some information I can cull from you, but beyond that, he has exceeded any further use. When I no longer need something, I get rid of it."

"And what about Raph?" Donatello

"He holds no interest for me," Farrell stated as though the subject didn't matter. "So I am letting Karl play with him, for now, I may come up with some experiments to run on him when I get around to it. As for your other companion, he was rather adamant about having me do to him what I have planned for you. I wonder, if I were to use the Ipsaaspin on him, it's possible that I would be able to gain more information about this…retromutagen, and this April person the "little one" brought up…about her being a psychic because she's part human and part…now what did he say something about being part Oolong."

Donnie mentally groaned at Michelangelo's often mistakenly saying Utrom, with Oolong. He refrained from instinctively correcting his younger brother's Freudian slip. He was almost surprised that he wasn't more upset about Farrell learning about April, but even with his "Ninja Senses" Mikey wouldn't be completely immune to a psychoactive drug like Ipsaaspin. So he was bound to reveal some things. Things Donnie knew he would have deeply hidden within his mind.

~Okay, Dontello.~ He mentally said to himself. ~It's just like meditation during morning training. Just relax and clear your mind, think of only of arbitrary things. But what if he…no don't focus on April, the retromutagen, or anything else. It's not like this is the first time I've had to use meditation to get out of a jam…such as when I passed my ninja trial when we had all been fourteen. Though at that time I wasn't about to have a crazed sociopath plow into my mind like it's his own personal library. Why couldn't he just have tortured Leo with the mental helmet, he's better at closing his mind then I am. But considering how quickly he fell prey to Igor's mental suggestion, I'm starting to wonder how true that is."

"I gather you also performed a DNA test on your so-called siblings." Farrell gloated some more as he sat down in the chair. The cyclopoid lobster helmet rested in his lap in a manner that was similar to a movie supervillain who was often shown gently stroking a fluffy white cat as they delivered their diabolical edicts for world domination. "You were the only one that went noticeably silent when I mentioned that I studied your genetic makeup. It makes me wonder how they would react when they realize you've been keeping such a secret from them."

~Don't listen,~ Donnie mentally scolded himself. ~He's just trying to bait you; make you lose focus.~

"I didn't tell them because it doesn't matter," Donnie stated defiantly.

"Then if it doesn't matter, why do it," Farrell asked with a smirk. "Why bother hiding this information from those you see as your family? If it was my loved ones, I would want them to know if there was a discrepancy."

"Because there are too many factors involved," Donnie stated as he tried to keep from letting Farrell's goading questions from getting to him. "My brothers and I were regular turtles when we were first mutated, and our sensei took us in as his children. Our whole lives we have been raised to see each other as brothers."

"That's certainly what you tell yourself," Farrell remarked with a demeaning tone. "Perhaps it is true you four are brothers by circumstance, but blood trumps circumstance any day of the week. You just can't admit that you have been living a lie for years and that the four of you…you were never brothers. You and I both know exactly who that outlier is. So let's say the people who are possibly coming to rescue all of you manage to aid in your escape, can you honestly look at your brethren in the same manner. Especially since they all know that one of you was never a relationship, to begin with, that is something they are going to expect you to answer."

Donnie shrank back against the table, as much as he wanted to believe that his brothers wouldn't care. They knew one of them wasn't related, as much as Leo might say it didn't matter or Raph might say that he didn't care to know. Mikey was not one to just leave things alone, particularly things that were of potential concern. They all knew he had performed that DNA test when they had been kids. How could things possibly go back to where they once were?

"Now then," Farrell said as he placed the helmet he held on to his head. "Surrender your secrets to me…"


	9. We were never brothers(part 9)

"So this is where the guys are?" Casey asked as Karai, Y'Githba, April, Mondo, and Dr. Rockwell climbed out of the party wagon. Slash and Leatherhead arrived moments later having opted to travel on foot since their bulky forms would have made the confined space of the van more than a little crowded. Also they planned on making sure that if any of the Turtles needed immediate attention at TCRI's hospital wing, they would be able to carry them there with the utmost haste.

"The signal of Donnie's tracker has become stronger." April pointed out, so we're close. Rockwell closed his eyes momentarily when he opened them they glowed white for a moment. Casey in the meantime peered through the glass windows at the entrance to Bio-Spawn.

"I sense a multitude of beings below us," The former human said as his eyes cleared. "There is no telling if they are staff or prisoners, but four of them are definitely the Turtles."

"There's only one security guard," Casey said. "April, Karai and I will distract him, you guys see if you can find a back entrance."

"On it," Slash stated as he lead everyone towards where another entrance could be found. "Be careful," Rockwell told the two young adults before he followed the others. "I sense that things aren't as they seem."

"I'm getting that feeling as well," April answered. "There is something here that just isn't right."

* * *

Mikey sighed for the umpteenth time, who knew dying could be so boring. How long had it been since he had been left in this room? He had already hummed all the songs he could think of. He had also tried playing "Eye Spy with My Turtle Eye" with the stuff in the room. He quickly gave up when he realized that he didn't know even half of what the stuff in the room was, and there was only him to guess what he was looking at.

Glancing up at the poison drip he could see about a little less than 1/3 of the package was gone. Not a good sign, the small orange-masked turtle forced himself to calm as he felt his heart begin to race. He visualized his immediate older brother telling him that the poison would only spread faster if he allowed himself to panic. All the same, it was hard to keep from panicking as every drip brought him closer and closer to death. Also, there was a screaming noise coming from somewhere in the facility that wasn't helping. A sound that seemed to carry through the vents. A scream that sounded like Donnie.

* * *

Raph groaned in pain as he regained consciousness. ~Oh man, how can Donnie even stand being electrocuted like this?~ The red-masked turtle thought to himself. ~I'm going to need to make a *big* list of all the apologies I need to make for all the crap I've given him over the years."

As his mind cleared he could hear a sound, a sound like someone screaming…like Donnie screaming. Opening his eyes he could see Karl standing by the computer console. The mutant rabbit's ears were tipped up and his eyes were closed in pleasure as he listened to the distressed cries that were coming from just rooms away.

"Farrell must be performing another 'Mentalwave' session on the purple-masked turtle," Karl stated as he turned towards Raph with a malicious smile on his face.

"Okay, Rabbit Ears," Raph said trying to sound unfazed. Whatever was going on he didn't like it, but he also didn't want to give the other mutant any sort of satisfaction in knowing he was worried about what was happening. "What is the "good doctor" Farrell doing to Donnie with this Mentalwave thing?"

"Nothing too interesting," Karl said. "Farrell uses the device to enter the minds of certain mutants and seeks information from them. The screams are fun, but the rest of it is boring." Raph's felt his anger starting to roil his mind put together the implications of what was going on.

"Why you…" Raph snarled. "When I get out of here I'm going to skin you alive and make a bag out of ya."

"I hope that Farrell doesn't end up digging into his mind too much," Karl commented ignoring Raph's threats. "After all, the 'Special Ones' are given extensive and invasive study to further Farrell's research. There will be nothing to study if he's practically a mindless vegetable."

Raph's anger simmered and cooled as he remembered the ferret mutant, Ashlyn had started to say about what happens to those with high intellect but was cut off by Karl's arriving.

"Then tell me something," Raph said trying to get some answers about what happened to mutants here. Karl was a sociopath, he'd at least have no qualms about revealing what was in store for them. "What sort of research is done on the "Special Ones" as you call them."

"Oh that is the best part," Karl replied almost appearing to salivate in anticipation. "They are strapped to a vivisection table and this huge bone saw descends and slices them open."

Raph's eyes shrank and the information. That was similar to what Vizioso had wanted to do to Donnie and Mondo. Donnie had wanted to go after Vizioso out of vengeance after Vizioso attempted that. If Donnie really did experience that sort thing, there was no telling if he would be sane if he even survived it.

"What's even better is Farrell, doesn't use anesthetics when he vivisects his research subjects," Karl continued to drool at the thought of it. "So they get to feel everything that happens, and I get the pleasure of hearing their screams of agony."

His heart clenched at the thought of that happening to Donnie. He forced himself not to think about that outcome. That hadn't happened, at least not yet. He couldn't allow himself to focus on what could eventually happen. He had to focus on getting out of here. Their friends were coming for them, that was a given. He knew for certain April and Casey would have gotten in touch with Slash and the other Mutanimals by now, maybe even Karai. It would only be a matter of time before they arrived to rescue their shelled friends.

Mikey was taken somewhere in the facility and Leo was still in the cages as far as he knew. He had no idea what was happening to them. Speaking of the cages, there was that one door that Ash had been eyeing. The way she looked at it suggested it was not used for anything good. She had attempted to explain what it was used for but had cut herself off when Karl had shown up to take Mikey.

"That closet in our prison area," Raph asked trying to be casual about the question, though he had a bad feeling that he didn't want to know the answer. "What is it for?" Karl turned to the red-masked turtle an ugly sneer etched on his furry face.

"That's where Farrell keeps his trophies," Karl said as he broke into a peal of maniacal laughter. "A collection that you're purple-masked companion and maybe the blue-masked one will join soon enough. You and the little one are more likely to be sent down the incinerator when we're done with you. What's even better is that at least you will be still alive when it happens." This only caused Raph to snarl in anger, but the anger turned to screams as he was electrocuted once again.

* * *

A tall, middle-aged, man looked up from his desk as April and Casey entered the building as the three young adults entered the building.

"May I help you?" The man asked his mouth twisting into a sneer. Farrell had told him to be on the alert for intruders ever since those new mutants had been delivered. He didn't need to look to hard to know these were the people he needed to watch out for. The way these three twenty-somethings were dressed, they looked like they would be more at home clubbing at the 'W' hotel down the street. None of them looked drunk or stoned-at least the girls didn't, the boy looked like he had the possibility of being high- at least not enough to cluelessly just wander in from off the street.

The trio of humans paused as the man got up and approached. The Asian girl regarded him coolly, but there was an underlying hint that she could become hostile if provoked. The red-haired girl eyed him as though she could see into the core of his being.

"Yeah, we were told some friends of ours were here." The boy stated with a confident air as he flashed a gap mouthed smile.

"I'm afraid we are closed for the night," the man said as placed his hands behind his back and pressed a silent alert attached to his belt to warn Farrell that the intruders have arrived to be at the ready. "All of our staff have gone home, but if you give me their names I'll let them know you stopped by."

"Who said anything about our friends being on your staff?" The boy hostilely responded as he picked up a nearby line stanchion and brandished it like a club. "We know the Turtles are here, so take us to where Farrell is keeping 'em or do we have to do this the hard way?"

"I'm afraid I can't do that," the man said his sneer growing wider. "Your friends as are guests of my master, he is entertaining them as we speak and doesn't like being interrupted."

"Oh, too bad," The boy said through his mannerisms suggested he was anything but sorry for what he's about to do. "And here I thought we were going to do things the easy way, Mister…"

"The name is Rattus…" The man said as he removed his hat as though preparing to fight. His short salt and pepper hair slicked back. His large ears stuck out oddly from his thin face in a way that resembled the ears of a rodent. "Otto Rattus."

"Watch out, Casey," The red-haired girl shouted in warning. "He's not human, he's…he's a mutant!" This caught the boy off-guard as he foolishly turned to his companion.

"You sure about that Red," He asked in confusion, unfortunately for him, this left him open for attack. As Otto Rattus grabbed hold of the stanchion that Casey brandished in his grip, pulling it from the surprised boy's hands before slamming it into the boy's unprotected body sending him flying across the room and crashing into a marble bench set against the wall. The red-haired girl immediately rushed to her friend's side. The boy was lying on his side groaning as he clutched at his ribs in pain.

"Clever girl," Rattus commented somewhat impressed as he tossed the stanchion aside preparing himself for further confrontation. "You're right, I'm not human. Before I was mutated, I was Dr. Farrell's loyal pet lab rat. With the aid of a number of body alteration surgeries, bio-implants, and endurance drugs, to the rest of the world, I can pass for a normal human." The Asian girl had taken an attack stance and the red-haired girl stood up and unfurling an iron fan.

"I do admit you surprised me," the humanoid rat continued. "Normally the only people who can tell I am not human are other mutants, but you're just a human…at least as far as I can tell."

"She might not be a mutant," Karai hissed as she transformed into a mutant snake. "But I am. O'Neil, get Jones out of here! Get to the others! I'll deal with him."

"Right," April said as she placed Casey's arm over her shoulders and helped dragged him out of the building.

* * *

"Enough of these useless memories," Farrell barked in irritation. He had been exploring the turtle's mind for the past hour trying to look for information about the retromutagen that the little turtle had mentioned. With such knowledge under his belt, he knew he would be able to call a host of subjects with the simple promise of receiving a cure for their mutations. However, the only memories he found were after the retromutagen had been completed. Those were interesting as they proved that the formula worked, or in the case of some mutations didn't work.

Then there was that girl, aside from the purple-masked turtle holding affection towards her there was nothing suggesting she was special. He remembered the little turtle mentioning the girl was not human or not entirely human and that somehow made her a key in creating the Retromutagen. But the only alien species the turtle seemed to frequently encounter were the Kraang, the Triceratons, and some sentient Amphibia Pleurodelinae. But the turtle had said she was part something else…part Oolong. so it couldn't be these aliens. Still, those encounters did hold some interest for the elderly scientist as it did give him some species that he felt worthy of study. Despite this the boy continued to resist him, blocking all useful information with worthless memories and thoughts.

That didn't mean everything Farrell had viewed had been completely useless. So far he had been able to gather that these turtles had been raised by a man who had been mutated into a giant rat, who had as recently as a year ago had been murdered by their greatest enemy. Those were interesting, but not what he was looking for so these memories were disposed of.

Farrell had been surprised to come upon some memories of the turtles and their two human companions traveling in space. This concept did provide him with a lot of intrigue, but also proved frustrating.

The ability to discover and reveal advanced alien societies would offer him more specimens to study and maybe even experiment on would be a high point of his career. Imagine the accolades, awards, and funding he would get by retrieving even a small sample of technology or even proof of life from these distant worlds. He would be the wealthiest man in all of existence. Unfortunately, the worlds and distances traveled were too far for even the most advanced human technology to reach. Most spacecraft in this current age couldn't reach further than Mars in manned space flights. While there were discoveries of other planets beyond their known solar system it would take decades before humans had the ability to study them. And it would be centuries before there were spacecraft capable of traveling to ends of the universe.

At age sixty-six, Farrell knew he would never live long enough to even dream of the capability which made this information useless. That is…that is unless there was anything left of that robot companion they had. That robot has formally been a human…from an extremely distant and highly advanced world and had survived death by having his brain and consciousness preserved in a robotic shell. If that was possible, he could be credited with finding a key to immortality. Perhaps, if part of that robot survived its attempts to destroy the Triceraton Mother-ship, maybe it could be useful in expanding human technology. Same with that superweapon the Triceraton's had used.

"Why do you continue to resist me, young one?" Farrell soothingly said to the Turtle. "If you fight me, then the suffering would only continue. But if you surrender your secrets to me, the pain will be over. Wouldn't that be so much better? Wouldn't it be so much easier to just let go of these secrets and give yourself to me? Just think of the possibilities the knowledge you hold would offer. It could bring about Nobel prizes, scientific breakthroughs, advances into numerous scientific, medical, and technological fields. All of it thanks to you, wouldn't that be worth giving up information to people who could actually make something of it."

"No…" Donnie said as he continued to fight. As tempting as it was to surrender his mind to Farrell, he knew nothing good would come of it. Farrell would only use the knowledge he had to obtain and hurt other mutants, and not just mutants he would go after Mona Lisa, and the Utrom, and worse…he would go after April since she was a human/utrom hybrid, or Karai because she is able to phase between being her human and mutant forms. There was also Raph's pet space turtle Chompy, there was no way his immediate older brother would forgive him if he let anything happen to him regardless of intention. Farrell would also look into the Utrom technology and weapons which were far too dangerous to be in human hands. Then there was Tokka, she had flown all the way across the universe and had been open to destroying the Earth just to get her baby returned to her. What was to stop her from returning and laying waste to the planet because someone performed some sick-minded experiments on him. "I can't…I won't let you."

"Come now," Farrell commented as though he was chiding a stubborn child. "I will find the information you are hiding from me one way or another, even if I have to view and destroy every single memory you hold. Why not just give in…save yourself the trouble, surely a little knowledge isn't worth your sanity? "

"Master Farrell, the intruders have arrived…" An unknown voice spoke. Donnie knew that wasn't Karl, because it didn't sound anything like the psychotic rabbit. While Igor only talked in an animalistic fashion so if it was him everything would sound like growls, hisses, other nonsensical noises. So this had to be an unknown servant. Were there other servants that Farrell hadn't introduced yet? Just how many mutants did Farrell keep as his servants?

"Thank you, Otto." Farrell said. Donnie heard the sound of the older human standing up from his chair.

"It seems our time has come to an end," Farrell said somewhat sorrowfully. "I was so looking forward to studying you further, but alas we would need to save that for another time." Donnie, however, didn't hear a word Farrell said or knew when the older human left the room as stress and exhaustion filmed over his mind and he fell into unconsciousness.


	10. We were never brothers(part 10)

Casey groaned in pain as April lowered him onto the floor of the Party Wagon. He had experienced various forms of pain being a hockey player as well as a vigilante. Yet, ever since meeting and defending the city alongside the Turtles, being injured had certainly become a common past time.

"Hang on Casey," April said calmly. "I need to lift your shirt."

"You can take the whole thing off if you want," Casey said as a flirtatious joke which earned him a sour look from the red-haired girl. Lifting up his shirt, she took a sharp intake of breath at the sight of the heavy bruising along Casey's torso.

"How bad is it, Red?" Casey asked only to seize up in pain as April gingerly probed the discolored flesh. "Ow, ow, OW! Careful, April!"

"Sorry," April said apologetically. "I think you have several broken ribs, you're going to need a hospital." The door to the Party Wagon opened and Karai climbed in looking somewhat perturbed.

"The bastard got away," the Foot Kunoichi informed. "No doubt to inform his master that rescuers have arrived." April didn't look too surprised by this as she pulled out her T-Phone to contact Rockwell.

 _April: The man we encountered in the lobby isn't human, it's a long story but apparently he's actually a mutant rat who was surgically altered by Farrell so he is able to appear human. Careful if you guys encounter him, he's stronger then he looks and extremely dangerous._

 _Rockwell: Thank you for the information, are the three of you alright?_

 _April: Casey's hurt bad enough to require a hospital. Karai's with me and we can drop him off at New York General and return. But I don't want to be out of the area if we are needed._

 _Rockwell: I've contacted Bishop, the Utrom have fascinatingly advanced skills in medicine. He says a van is headed your direction to pick up Jones._

 _April: Thank you, we will stay here until they arrive._

"Rockwell told me that a van from TCRI will come and collect Casey," April informed Karai. "The Utrom will take care of him at their medical wing."

"You sure we can trust those slimy squids?" Karai asked dubiously as she settled down on the floor with the red-haired girl, while Casey continued to groan in pain.

"They're nothing like the Kraang," April replied. "They have been helpful allies to us in the past. I would rather have them on our side rather than deal with the Kraang again."

"I know Kraang Prime supposedly died during the battle against the Triceritons." Karai cautioned. "But who is to say he couldn't reform, or somehow return, after all, we don't absolutely know for certain that he's gone."

"You're right we don't," April agreed. "We can only hope that he doesn't, not for a very long time."

* * *

~Damn them,~ Otto thought as he ran down the hallways. ~How was it possible for a human to become a mutant, or is it the other way around? That was certainly something that Farrell would want to study, and that other girl. Normal humans had no idea he was actually a mutant it was impossible that one girl could realize what he truly was …unless, that girl was not a normal human either. That creates two study subjects for Farrell to examine in the future.~ The humanoid mutant paused as he heard voices up ahead.

"How much longer before we find the Turtles, Doc" someone with a craggy sounding voice said.

"Not much further," A more refined sounding voice responded. "I can sense Leonardo towards the end of the hall."

~So these people also are the intruders I was warned about.~ Otto thought to himself. As Farrell's bodyguard, he had only one major priority, to protect his master at any cost. Turning to a door that led to a room the size of a broom closet, he removed a wall panel showing a secret hallway. Unlike the people up ahead, he knew secret paths, and entrances that would help him reach his master and usher him to safety. He already had informed his master about the intruders, now he needed to get Farrell out of sight. He didn't need to ask where his master was, his sense of smell could find him wherever he was in the lab.

He found Dr. Farrell waiting for him outside one of the rooms. Inside the room was one of the Turtle Mutants. He lay limply against the table, his head slumped forward in unconsciousness. The turtle still had a focus helmet on his head. Farrell, on the other hand, cradled his mental wave device in his arms like a proud father holding a baby.

"Karl and Igor have been dispatched to deal with the intruders," Farrell said as the two of them started to make their escape. Arriving at Farrell's town car, the older man climbed into the back while Otto drove them away into the night.

* * *

"April, Karai," Slash greeted as the two girls join their companions. The kunoichi had found the delivery entrance that their companions had used to gain access to the subterranean laboratory.

"For a mad scientist," Mondo complained, "You would think a subterranean lab like this place would be more protected."

"Yes, that's what worries me," Y'githba responded.

"Like when places like this appear in comic books," Mondo continued "There would totally be guards left, right, and center, a place like this would have weapons and traps at least." As he said this several cannons came out of the wall and aimed squarely at the group.

"What, and spoil the surprise?." Karl gleefully chortled over the PA system. "Say hello to Dr. Farrell's anti-mutant nerve gas cannons."

"I'm no mutant," Y'githba yelled out as she drew her sword. "I'm a Salamandrian." Running forward she sliced through the cannons like a hot knife through butter. As the wreckage sizzled and cracked uselessly the female Salamandrian warrior let out a fierce, "Rocka, Rocka, Rocka."

"Impressive," Karl commented with sincere interest. "But not impressive enough." More anti-mutant weapons appeared ready to hinder the group of rescuers.

"Come out and face us, coward!" Karai demanded.

"You have to find me first!" Karl sniggered in delight at his new playthings.

"Rockwell, April, Mondo" Slash said. "You three get to the Turtles, the rest of us will deal with this creep."

"Understood," Rockwell responded as Y'Githba lead the charge down the hall, her laser sword and her plasma blasters taking out all the Anti-mutant weaponry in their path. "Leonardo is in the room up ahead." The former neurologist informed the red-head and the teenaged gecko.

Both Rockwell and April were on the alert for any further threat the threesome approached a door that said "Lab Animals". Cautiously they opened the door and were horrified by what they saw.

"This is disgusting," April commented as she eyed the various mutants in the cages around her. She could sense their pain, their fear. Even if the humans of the city saw mutants as no better than animals, this was downright inhuman. Mutants that had at one point been normal animals, pets, even innocent humans who had only been living their lives in the city. All of them tortured, maimed, treated like they were sub-lifeforms. Rockwell also felt some tension at the sight as he also knew from experience what it was like to be experimented on, both by the hands of his former colleague Victor Falco and by the Kraang.

"Dude!" Mondo exclaimed in alarm. "This is beyond gnarly; I thought it was bad when my folks disowned me after my mutation, and when Vizioso saw mutants as garbage that didn't belong in the city. I swear I'm gonna have nightmares for months after seeing all this."

"You won't be the only one," April said before she rushed forward catching sight of the blue-masked turtle. Her heart broke as she saw her friend was trapped in his inner torment.

"I failed them," Leo sobbed as he continued to claw at his face; his nails had dug long red gashes into his green flesh. "They're…they're all dead because…because I couldn't protect them."

"He's under a hypnotic suggestion of some sort," Rockwell surmised with concern. "We need to break his mind free of it."

"I know just what to do." April said as she brought her hands to her head and focused her mind on Leonardo's. _~Leo, it's me, April!~_

"April?" Leo's voice seemed to ask from far away as though he found it unbelievable she would be here but then his voice grew stronger. "You need to get out of here; if Farrell learns of your psychic powers he would only kill you to...he'll torture and kill you like he did my brothers."

 _~Listen to me,~_ April continued to pour her mind into her blue-masked friend. The turtle she looked to as a leader, a brother, a companion. _~Your brothers aren't dead, I can still sense them. You are under a mental suggestion, you need to fight it. Donnie, Raph, and Mikey all need you right now. They need your help; they need you to help save them.~_

"My brothers…" Leo said as he tried to process what he was hearing.

 _~You can't let whoever put these fears into your head control you,~_ April said as she continued to fight the mental suggestion. The control over Leo wasn't as strong as Overmind, or Za'noron, but it was a strong influence. _~You are Leonardo Hamato, the eldest son of Hamato Yoshi, a dedicated student of Master Splinter, the Leader of the Ninja Turtles and head of the Hamato Clan.~_ With a burst of psychic energy Leo's hands limply dropped from his face. He slummed forward seemingly in unconsciousness. In moments his fingers twitched as he sat back up his deep blue eyes clear as they focused on the relieved red-haired girl kneeling before him.

"April," Leo said as he gratefully smiled.

"Welcome back," April responded, she was somewhat exhausted but that was a small matter. The other turtles were still in certain danger and she could feel the life energy of at least one of them slowly fading. Leonardo glanced around him in concern as he realized he was alone.

"Oh no," Leo said as it quickly realized what must have happened. "Donnie had been with me when they came for Raph, and that feels like a second ago."

"You were under a hypnotic suggestion" April explained. "While you were being controlled by it you were saying that you had failed to protect them, and your brothers were dead because you failed them. They must have come for Donnie some point while you were under its influence."

"That's what worries me," Leo cryptically stated as a concerned look crossed his face.

"I'll have this cage open in a moment," Rockwell said as he focused his psychic powers before there was an audible click and the cage door swung open. Leonardo gratefully crawled out. His body stiff from being forced to be in confined space for hours, but he was quickly able to limber up with a few stretches.

"Alright," Mondo said "Now we can save Mikey and the others."

"Hold it," Leo said as he indicated all the mutants trapped in the cages. "What about the rest of them? We can't just leave without helping."

"He's right," April agreed. "They're prisoners and have been here for even longer than the Turtles. "

"It would take time to free all of them," Rockwell admitted. "Even with my psychic abilities, I'm only able to open a few cages at a time. The Mutanimals and I will return for them, but we must focus on your brothers in the meantime." Leo nodded in understanding, his family needed him.

"I should warn you about Farrell's servants," Leo said as the group left the room and entered the hallway.

"Y'Githba is leading an attack upon one of them," Rockwell explained. "It's fortunate she isn't a mutant, or else we all would have suffered under the effects of anti-mutant weapons."

"Y'Githba?" Leo asked. The name sounded familiar, but he couldn't place where he heard it before.

"You would recognize her other name," Rockwell stated "Mona Lisa."

"Oh," Leo said as he remembered the Salamandrian female that his immediate younger brother held affection for. Even now, it was still hard to fathom that Raphael had actually found love. But then again, it was hard to fathom that any of them would find love given what they were.

"The one they are fighting might be Karl," Leo explained as he rubbed at his chin where he had been struck with the rabbit's iron-tipped bo staff. "He's a mutant rabbit, from what I've seen he's dangerous and psychopathic, but his weakness is his arrogance."

"So he's a bad guy who needs a kick to the ego," April commented sarcastically. "It's not like we've faced any of those before."

"He acts big," Leo agreed. "It's possible he's as good a fighter as he appears. However, he is prone to hurting people when they can't fight back. He began brutally punching Donnie with a set of brass knuckles when Farrell wanted to start his experiments. Then when Karl came to get Mikey, he struck out at us when we were trying to defend him."

"I doubt he'd be able to take on the rest of our group on his own," Rockwell supplied. "Slash and Leatherhead are challenging enough by themselves, while Karai and Y'Githba are quite formidable warriors in their own right."

"Particularly with Karai being able to transform into that totally awesome mutant snake form," Mondo added. "And then you have me. If you put this Karl jerk in front of me, I'll open a double-extra-large can of whoop-ass on him with one hand tied behind my back." The former human teenager began to perform several staged fighting moves with cartoony whoops and battle cries

"There is another servant we should be more worried about," Leo explained as his two other companions ignored Mondo Gecko's bragging. "There is a mutant rat named Igor, he's stronger then he appears and…I think there is a whole lot more below the surface."

"What makes you say that?" April asked.

"I think it was Igor that put me under that mental suggestion," Leo answered. "I just remember him glancing at me when I was yelling that they would regret ever meeting us, then suddenly my head started swimming and then next thing I knew you guys had arrived."

"That could be a possibility," Rockwell said.

"There's another thing," Leo pointed out. "Farrell had surgically implanted obedience collars around the necks of both of his servants. That could be a vulnerable spot if we could get to it. I don't like the idea of killing if it can be avoided, but the battles my brothers and I have had with the Shredder have taught us there are times where that is the only option."

"What about Donnie's retromutagen," April suggested. "You said Farrell's servants were mutated animals right, maybe we could just restore them to what they were before they became mutants."

"It's a good idea, but it's too risky," Rockwell suggested. "While Donatello, has been helpful in creating retromutagen samples for Bishop and the rest of us to use in reversing some of the more dangerous mutations in the city. The subjects would have to be completely distracted or restrained in order for the Retromutagen to be administered. Even then these hallways are so narrow that Leonardo or Mondo Gecko could be hit with it instead."

"Which would be bad," Mondo stated the obvious.

"I sense Raph nearby, " April paused as she opened her mind out to locate her other companions. "Donnie…I sense him but he feels distant, I hope that means he's unconscious…and Mikey…oh no, Leo, I feel something is seriously wrong with him. I sensed it before but I wasn't sure who. He feels like he's weakening."

"Let's get to him first," Leo nodded as they rushed to find his youngest brother.

* * *

Mikey glanced up again at the bag of vrucide. To his dismay it was half-empty, Farrell had said that the chemical was slow-acting, but it felt like only five minutes ago that had been only 1/3 of the way through. Already he was feeling weakness pass through his body and his stomach began to roil as though warning him that it was preparing to erupt. He, fortunately, wasn't feeling any of his innards shutting down, not that he would know what that even felt like. Gradually he began to wonder what it would be like when the end finally came. Would it hurt? Or would he just go to sleep and never wake up?

"Mikey!" The orange-masked turtle was startled out of his thoughts by the sound of his name being called. Glancing at the door he was met with the sight of his oldest brother. Leo's breaths were coming in rather rapid as though he had been running. The blue-masked turtle immediately rushed to his younger brother's side. April, Mondo, and Rockwell entered the room close behind.

"Leo!" Mikey practically cheered his oldest brother's nickname. "Oh man, am I glad to see you!"

"Hang on, Little Brother," Leo said calmly said as he placed a reassuring hand on his brother's shoulder. "We'll get you free in a minute." On the first inspection, Mikey was physically unharmed or at least appeared to.

"Hurry," Mikey said his voice seeming to come out as a distressed whine. "I think I'm about to lose my pizza." No sooner did he say this, he promptly vomited on the floor. Leo instinctively moved away from the partially digested contents of his youngest brother's stomach.

"Oh man," Mondo griped in disgust. "Now I want to hurl."

"Are you okay, Mikey?" Leo asked in concern.

"No," Mikey whimpered. "Farrell used this stuff called Ipsapee, and then after he found he couldn't get all the information he wanted he started injecting me with that stuff." Leo's eyes widened in alarm as they immediately traveled to the drip bag connected to Mikey's arm. Rockwell was studying the drip bag, with some concern as Leonardo carefully pulled the canuella needle from his brother's flesh. Even though the drip was no longer poisoning his younger brother's body, the fact his youngest brother was being poisoned at all scared him. He forced himself to appear calm, perhaps there was an antidote or a way to neutralize the poison.

~If Donnie was here,~ Leo coached himself ~He would try to understand what sort of poison it was, its potency, what sort of methods could be used to stop or slow down its effects.~

"Are you feeling anything thing besides nausea?" Rockwell also asked. His tone was calm, though there was a slight anxious twinge in his voice. "Are you feeling fatigued in any way? Any pain? Any urgent needs to urinate?"

"Now that you ask I am feeling kinda...itchy," Mikey said before his stomach started of heave again. Not with nausea, but more like he was having trouble breathing. "And I'm getting this weird taste in my mouth like I just swallowed a bunch of batteries."

"Just as I feared," Rockwell sighed knowing he would be giving bad news. "Early signs of kidney failure, Vrucide often affect the renal system first and moves on to the other organs as it spreads throughout the body. "

"Oh no," April said her voice sounding forlorn. Leo also felt distressed, but he bit back his anxiety. Mikey needed him to be strong as did the rest of his family.

"Fortunately," Rockwell continued "Vrucide is slow-acting; I believe we have gotten to him in time. I can't be certain until we get him to the medical wing at TCRI so the poison can be flushed out of his system. But Michelangelo could still have permanent organ failure as a result."

"I know a way to help keep the poison from causing further damage," Leo said with determination as he knew exactly what he could do. He had helped pull his brothers from the brink of death before, now was the time to use the healing hands once again. "Hold still, Mikey." The blue-masked turtle begins arraigning his fingers in the kuji kiri signs for the healing hands. Leo's hands began to glow with healing energy as he gently placed them on his youngest brother's chest and transferred the energy to Mikey's body. Mikey sighed peacefully as felt some of the discomfort he was feeling started to dissipate.

"That should help stop the poison from spreading any further," Leo informed.

"Do you think you should use the healing hands a second time, just to be safe?" April asked. She remembered her father telling her that Splinter had performed the healing hands on her several times before he had neutralized Karai's venom. Also when Donnie had been injured in that factory explosion, Splinter had tirelessly administered the healing mantra's to prevent him from succumbing to his injuries.

"No dude," Mikey insisted. "You'll need that healing thing you do, to help Raph and Donnie. I'll be okay, brah."

"You also said you were injected with Ipsaaspin?" Rockwell asked as he stroked his ape-like chin.

"Yeah," Mikey answered. "He gave me a shot of the stuff, and then when I woke up from it, he gave me a double-strength dose. He was totally didn't understand how my ninja senses broke me out of its control after about ten minutes."

"He gave you a larger dose after ten minutes?!" Rockwell seemed alarmed.

"What's ipsaa…whatever that junk is?" Mondo asked.

"Ipsaaspin is a very powerful psychoactive drug," Rockwell explained to his companions. "So powerful it is often used in the criminal underground to gain information from their victims; a single dose can put someone under its effects for four hours at least. Once they resurface, it's to find they have lost everything from the money they have in the bank, to their Myface accounts, to their families' medical records. But Ipsaaspin is only meant to be administered by a trained professional because large doses or multiple injections can cause irreparable brain damage."

"You mean I'm going to get brain damage?!" Mikey gave said as he gave a distressed wail. Leo was secretly glad Raph wasn't here, as he probably would have joked about them believing that Mikey already had brain damage. In this case, it was no laughing matter.

"We would need to have you under observation to be certain," Rockwell explained.

"We still need to get Raph and Donnie." Leo said. "Then we can get out of here."

"Rockwell, we've defeated Farrell's servant," Slash reported over their communicators. "We have the Turtle's weapons and T-phones as well."

"Understood," Rockwell replied. "We have Leonardo and Michelangelo now, be on the lookout according to Leonardo there is another servant."

"I guess we find Raph and Donnie," Leo said as he and April released the straps holding Mikey to the chair.

* * *

Igor watched impassively as he witnessed Karl's demise. The mutant rabbit when he had been brought out into the open had put up a good fight against the intruders, but it was the human female with them when she turned into a mutant snake that turned the tides of the fight. The mutant rabbit continued to maintain his bravado after he had been bitten. However, when he found himself succumbing to the snake girls' venom that was when the mutant rabbit started to beg for mercy.

"Please…" Karl begged. "I didn't want to hurt anyone….honest. I only do it because Farrell will kill me if I don't. Please...I swear…have mercy on me."

"Right," the large turtle snarled in disgust. "The same sort of mercy you showed all the mutants who came to your master for help. Death is what you deserve."

Stepping back Igor made his way out of the facility, Farrell would need to be informed about the people who came to rescue the Turtles. They were certainly more formidable than expected.

"Hold on guys, I sense someone near us." He heard a female voice.

"We need to get him before he can report to Farrell." The voice of one of the Turtles said. The blue-masked one, but how did he break free from the mental suggestion he had been put under?

Footsteps were headed in his direction, he could run for it. Or he could turn to face them; he could certainly take them out if needed. Recapture them; make them ready for Farrell's studies.

"Leatherhead!" the smaller turtle yelled.

"My friends…" The gravelly voice of the mutant gator responded.

"What in the world happened to your face?" The snake girl said her voice almost a laugh.

"It's a long story; the second of Farrell's servants is nearby." The blue-masked one said.

"Yeah…" The large turtle growled, "I thought I smelled a rat."

"He's down this way," A red-haired girl said as she rounded the corner. Igor found himself somewhat taken aback, the girl had psychic powers…but how…why. No matter, that would be something Farrell could figure out. The rest of the group appeared close behind her, he could immediately assess the group would be difficult to face, their strength varied between them but they weren't cohesive. That could be a weakness against them.

"April, stay with Mikey." The blue-masked one said.

"Right," April agreed.

"Time to say your prayers, Rat Boy," Slash snarled as he raised his mace to strike. Igor raised his hand grabbing hold of Slash's wrist he threw the large turtle into his companions.

"So he has super strength," Karai said as she transformed into her mutant snake form, "Let's see if he has super speed too."

"No," Leo said, "He can take us out individually, we take him on together." Igor tensed, yes he could take them out with his super strength and mental suggestions, and he was capable at hand to hand combat. But even he knew he couldn't take on a group this big by himself. And with the red-haired girl being a psychic and the monkey possibly being psychic as well, that meant problems. Then there was the Salamander woman, she was an unknown. Currently, she was hanging back with the small turtle, lizard boy, and the red-haired girl, but she was ready to step into the fray if she had to.

Slash, Karai, Leonardo, and Leatherhead all rushed at Igor. The mutant rat grabbed hold of the wrists of the larger mutants while the snake girl jumped over him and wrapped her coils around him, he could smell the venom on the snakeheads that served as her hands.

"Rockwell, now!" The blue-masked turtle commanded. The mutant ape responded by focusing his psychic power on the obedience collar around Igor's neck reactivating it. Slowly the other mutants backed away from him as there was a subtle beeping noise…the sound of the collar preparing to explode. Anxiously Igor pulled at the collar trying to pry it from his neck but gave up as he remembered it was surgically implanted.

Realizing that if he was going to die he should take them with him, it would be his final act of loyalty. Rushing towards the group of mutants he the Salamander woman took aim with her arm blaster and fired, a blast catching Igor in the chest causing him to stop in his tracks. The wound was mortal, but it wouldn't be the thing that killed him. His collar continued to beep as the blue-masked turtle gathered his companions leaving him to his fate. Just as they turned the corner, the collar exploded and the mutant rat was no more.


	11. We were never brothers(part 11)

**Happy thanksgiving my wonderful readers, and thank you to everyone who has been following this fic. I always love to hear questions and feedback from my readers, so please leave reviews if you so wish.**

"Guys," Mikey asks uneasily as the group journeyed down the hallway. "Did we really have to do that? Did we really have to kill him?"

"It's complicated, Mikey." Leo sighed as he glanced through the doors for a sign of Raph or Donnie. Part of him wanted to reach for his katana, to feel their familiar weight in his hands so they would be ready to face any foe. Mikey's nunchucks had been returned and their t-phones had all been collected. April had shut of Donnie's tracking beacon so it didn't end up draining what battery life that T-phone had left. Currently, April was carrying Donnie's staff and Raphs sai as she mentally scanned the hallways as she followed their cognitive signatures.

Before Leo and his companions went off to find the rest of their family they had informed Karai, and the rest of the Mutanimal's about the other mutants that had been beaten and tortured in this horrible place. Rockwell soon after led his companions away to free the other mutants, that way they would make good on Leo's promise. In that Farrell's victims would at least know there was truth, what they personally chose to believe or do afterward was purely up to them.

"But both Karl and Igor were prisoners of Farrell, right?" Mikey pointed out. "They were forced to do what they did because of that obedience collar. They felt they had no choice, what does killing them prove? If we were able to talk to them, maybe get them to see they would be free of Farrell if they helped us? "

"I don't think there was anything good about either of them, Mikey," April said sympathetically.

"But Master Splinter always taught us that killing was to be left for the last option," Mikey said his voice turned angry. "You guys all immediately ganged upon him, and then left him to die. There had to be another option, we didn't need to kill him."

"Mikey," Leo said as he turned to his brother. His closed his eyes as he gathered himself, when he opened them again it was so his younger brother could also see that he was just as troubled by the measures they had to wanted his youngest brother to understand that while he led the attack on Igor, it was not a choice he came to lightly. "Splinter also taught us that vengeance was also not a path we should follow. When we mounted the attack on the Shredder's lair, avenging Master Splinter was part of our motivation. However, the main reason we attacked was because the Shredder had proven himself to be a threat that would not be satisfied or reasoned with. He would be satisfied with killing Splinter for a time, but then he would realize that as long as Karai lived the Hamato bloodline still stood. As long as we lived the Hamato Legacy remained, and as long as our allies exist the spirit of the Hamato clan resided. He would then mount attacks to see Karai dead at his feet, our heads on pikes, and that anyone who had so much as had contact with us will be eliminated. And even then his bloodthirst would not only option we had then was to stop him for good before he hurt or killed anyone else."

"But what does that have to do with Farrell's servants?" Mikey asked. "Okay, they may have been bad, but they weren't Shredder bad. Couldn't we have done something else, like hit 'em with retromutagen or something?"

"We discussed that with Rockwell," April said. "We had that discussion before we found you. He said that yes, that was a possible recourse, but the walls of these hallways were so narrow that Leo or someone else could possibly get hit with it. We couldn't take that risk."

"Well, you and Rockwell are psychics," Mikey suggested, "Couldn't you have used your powers to make Igor fall asleep or lose consciousness and then we could use the retromutagen."

"Igor was a psychic too," April said. "A powerful one, perhaps Rockwell and I could have combined our psychic powers and incapacitated him, but we couldn't be certain how strong his mental powers were."

"When facing an opponent," Leo said, his voice reflecting the young man he had become and the weight he carried on his shoulders since the day he became the head of his family."It's never a question about who deserves death, the true question is how much of a threat they would they be still alive. Igor has proven himself to be too much of a threat to remain a mutant that is true. Unfortunately, the urgency of battle doesn't give you the luxury to question your decisions. You need to come to a conclusion and deal with the consequences when they happen. That is something you will learn when you lead a team of your own one day."

"What?" Mikey asked confused. "But you know I'm not a leader, you and Donnie are better leaders then I am. Heck, Raph is a decent leader when he actually gets his head out of his what's this talk about me leading my own team; you guys are the only team I'll ever have."

"That's not true Mikey," Leo said proudly, "I've seen potential as a leader in you for the past few years and I know you'll be a great one someday." Leo's expression then became somber as the three companions continued their journey through the hallways "It's just I have something I've been considering for the past month. It won't be easy for me to say and it's not an easy decision for me to come to, and it's something I know I will need to discuss with all of you, but not now. Once all this is over…I will tell you. Right now we need to focus on finding Raph and Donnie."

"At least we don't have to deal with Karl and Igor ever again," April said.

"But Farrell's still an enemy we will encounter again," Leo sighed. "And that would only add to current problems."

"Particularly with what I told him about Donnie," Mikey admitted. Leo paused and turned to his brother as though demanding an explanation. "Don't get mad," Mikey placated "If I wasn't under that Ipsaapiss stuff I would never have said anything I swear. I may have told Farrell that Donnie had created a way to reverse mutations and um the fact April has psychic powers because she's a human/oolong mutant thing."

"Tell me exactly what happened," Leo said. He wasn't angered or disappointed, but it was clear there was a dangerous tone in his voice.

"Oh well" Mikey said as he wracked his brains at the memory. "After he stuck me the first time, I found myself and the lair. Raph then appears and tells me that Donnie was injured and you were looking after him. My ninja senses, of course, are screaming at me that this is all wrong and even the way Raph was speaking was anything but Raph-like so I realized that my mind was creating this phony-baloney version of Raph so I would tell Farrell about anything he could get out of Donnie."

"Then when he stuck me with that double-dose," Mikey continued."The ipsaapee took me to the lair again, only this time you were with me and you were saying that Donnie was badly injured by Karl during our escape. And then you started asking me if Donnie had any experiments or inventions or whatever that could help him. I immediately reminded you that even though I hang out in the lab regularly, you were the one that Donnie tended to talk to when it came to his experiments and things like you sure as pizza would have known what Donnie was experimenting on or whatever. You also were not acting like you, by the way, but you asked me to tell you what Donnie was working on at that time. I told you that Donnie was working on a batch of retromutagen so Bishop and the other oolong, were offering it as a way to help clean up some of the mutations in the city. Then you started asking if I knew how he made the retromutgen and I knew you would know that Donnie would never tell me anything like that and that the only thing I know is that April somehow is an important part of its creation. And that's when I realized that this was all fake and I woke up in the lab again. I then asked Farrell if he was going to give me a triple-dose and that's when he said he felt he got enough information out of me and he was going to poison me instead."

Leo quietly seethed as he listened to what Mikey was telling him. He wasn't angry with his younger brother, but the fact that Farrell had resorted to using psychoactive drugs on Mikey to learn more about some of the information Donnie would sooner take to his grave then openly reveal. And on top of that poisoning Mikey when he was no longer of use, his hands longed to reach for his returned katana. He didn't care if Farrell was human; he had proven he was too evil to count. And with the older man in the wind, there was no telling what he would have in store for his family.

"There is also a third servant," April informed. "Casey was badly hurt by him, but apparently Farrell has another mutant rat as a servant. However, he's…he's be surgically altered to appear human."

"Wait, what…?" Leo asked. This was a new twist. They always believed that once a person became a mutant, they were cut off from the surface world, forced to live in the shadows. If that was possible perhaps there was another hope for mutants. Leo quickly shook his head erasing that hope, as miraculous as that sounded, it also made this more dangerous because then they would have a mutant threat parading around as a legal citizen of the city. How many more enemies would they have had if this was more common?

"How come no one told me that we could be made human through surgery?" Mikey asked. "We totally could have gone to the surface any time we wanted, yo. We coulda gone to school with April, fit in with dudes like us, it woulda been sweet."

"We didn't even know that could even be done," Leo said."Restoring Splinter's humanity was always one of Donnie's dreams. If that was even a possibility…"

"Trust me guys, you don't want to do that." April chided, "It's not worth it."

"So now we have an enemy that is actually a mutant masquerading as a human," Leo said. "That alone is dangerous. The mutants Farrell has been torturing are free and will recover with the Mutanimal's help, and the servant's that have been doing his dirty work are gone. That won't cripple Bio-Spawn, but it will stop everything that's been going on in this secret lab, but that won't stop him forever. I'm sorry to say this, but I actually wish that he has a heart attack and dies."

"You and me both," April said uneasily. "And imagine how Donnie must feel about all this. Everything D creates is intended for the good of your family and mutant kind. He would never consciously create something that causes deliberate harm to another being. Even the times where something does go wrong or someone gets hurt as a result, there isn't any real malice behind it."

"Your right," Mikey agreed "If Karl was "Evil Donnie", then Farrell is "Anti-Donnie. That has to majorly bugging the heck outt'a him."

"We will deal with all this later," Leo chided his companions. He also agreed that everything that happened would have underlying problems for his brothers, with Donnie in particular. And that would need to be faced in due time, but at present, they had to find the rest of their brothers and escape.

"Hang on, Raph's down this corridor," April said as she pointed down one hallway.

* * *

Raph groaned as he heard footsteps approaching. There were too many feet to be Karl, maybe it was Igor, the rat mutant more often walked on four paws instead of two, maybe he was there to take him back to the cages finally.

"Raph," He heard Leo's voice call out both in concern and relief. Raph, let out bark joy, it was his older brother's voice and as much as Leo could get on his nerves, his voice was like a song of angels at that moment.

"Hang on, Raph, I'll cut you loose," Leo said as he unsheathed one of his swords before removing the small tanto blade hidden in the hilt and began sawing through the leather straps holding his first brother down.

"Where did you find our weapons?" Raph asked he felt weak from all the torture Karl had put him through as he was finally allowed to sit up in what felt like days.

"Thank Slash and the Mutanimals," Leo said as April handed him Raph's sai. "You'll be wanting these back I imagine. "

"My babies!" Raph enthusiastically crowed as he hugged his weapons to his chest and began to coo over them. "Did you miss your daddy? Daddy missed you, oh yes he did, yes he did, he missed you so damn much."

"Dude, are you even listening to yourself?" Mikey snorted. "And here I thought Leo's Captain Ryan obsession was weird." Raph looked up as though ready to pummel the speaker, but then his expression changed to a wide smile.

"MIKEY!" Raph said holding his arms wide to hug his little buddy to him. "Oh man, I thought I'd never see you again little brother."

"I thought I'd never see any of you dudes again," Mikey wailed in return. "When Farrell was poisoning me, I thought the last thing I'd ever did in life was draw mustaches on all the guys in your "Ninja Illustrated" magazine."

"You WHAT!?" Raph snarled as he pushed his youngest brother forward, his hands gripped Mikey's shoulders as though to wanting to throttle him.

"I didn't make them those big ugly, handlebar mustaches." Mikey protested. "I made them into nice mustaches, and you can barely see them against their face masks…at least on the guys wearing black. And besides, it was on one of those back issues you don't look at anymore."

"That doesn't give you the right to mess with my stuff," Raph growled "Do you have any idea how long I've been collecting those issues? When we get home I'm going'ta…" Raph's mind suddenly registered something Mikey had said. "Wait… poisoned?"

"Yes, Raph," Leo said, concern present in his voice. "When April and I found him, Farrell had him connected to a poison drip. It was slow-acting poison, I was able to use the healing hands on him stop the poison from spreading, but you guys will need to go to the hospital wing at TCRI."

"Oh no," Raph said. "Those slimy brain squids may be good now, but I'm not going to trust them farther then I can throw 'em."

"Raph," Leo reasoned. "Casey's already there receiving treatment for sustained injuries. Mikey will need to go there to have the poison flushed out of his body, he's going to need someone to stay with him and keep him company. Besides we don't know what condition Donnie will be in when we get to him." The mention of his immediate younger brother caused Raph to look up in horror as he recalled what Karl had told him.

 _"Nothing too interesting, Farrell uses the device to enter the minds of certain mutants and seeks information from them. The screams are fun, but the rest of it is boring."_

"Guys," Raph said his face looking pained as he turned his gaze to his oldest brother. "I don't think Donnie's hurt, at least not in a physical sense. But from what Karl told me, I think…I think Farrell has been mentally raping Donnie."Leo body went ridged in horror while April brought her hands to her mouth as tears filled her eyes.

Mikey cocked his head confused about the phrase; he understood the concept of things like what sexual acts meant. Both from getting the "where babies come from" talk from Splinter, the movies and shows they have watched, and of course sneaking peaks at Raph's not-so-secret porn collection. So he understood the gist, of the concept and its darker side.

"You guys are seriously going to have to explain that," Mikey asked with a confused expression. "How can someone rape someone's mind?" April, Leo, and Raph all looked at one another as though asking who was going to end up explaining the concept.

"Splinter often described the mind was a sacred place where no one could under uninvited," April explained after a moment. "When someone is mind raped, that means someone has entered your mind and torturing you in a way that you feel your mind and soul are being assaulted. So while the pain isn't physical in nature, you feel the same feeling of helplessness, pain, and violation a person feels after an actual rape.

"That would explain his reaction when he was returned to the cages," Leo said, distress largely evident in his voice as his body seemed to deflate, though a miasma of tension still emanated from him. "The experience must have been too much for him, so when he saw us he didn't know how to handle what happened so he just had that huge brake down."

"But…" Mikey said as he struggled to make sense of what he was just told. "But Farrell used that ipsaa-stuff to get me to reveal things he wanted to know from Donnie. If he could go into Donnie's mind, why would he go out of his way to probe me for stuff?"

"Knowing Don," Raph sighed. "That big brain of his holds a lot of stuff, remember how we would hate it whenever he would act like a know-it-all. Maybe Farrell wanted to have some sort of information to narrow down."

"That's plausible," Leo said. "Also Donnie does have a tendency to hide things he doesn't want us to know. Most of the time he's able to conceal certain things well, but occasionally he does have quirks and tells that you have to really recognize to figure out what's on his mind."

"What Farrell did today," Raph pointed out "Isn't even the worsts of what he was going to do. Rabbit Ears wasn't exactly shy about telling me some of the other things that were being planned for the genius."

"You can fill us in on that later." April pointed out. "We need to find Donnie and get out of here."

"Right," Raph said as he stood up, he staggered and held on to the table he was strapped too as a wave of dizziness passed over him.

"You okay?" Mikey asked in concern.

"I'm fine…" Raph said as he steadied himself. "Just a…just a little dizzy…"Mikey came up and helped walk his older brother out of the room. Raph smiled tenderly at the small turtle before face hardened to its customary scowl. "If you any of you say anything about me talking to my sai, I will seriously hurt you."

* * *

The three turtles and red-headed girl didn't know what to expect when they finally made it to their final brother. But the sight that was one of the most distressing they had witnessed. Their genius brother was magnetically strapped to a metal table; a helmet covered his eyes and scalp. His head was slumped forward as though it was too heavy to hold up, and he hardly looked like he was breathing.

"Donnie…" Mikey whimpered his immediate older brother's name. Leo appeared to break free from his stunned silence as he walked forward. Removing the helmet from his brother's head and tossing it aside. He immediately began checking Donnie's pulse before gently running the back of his hand over his brother's forehead feeling growing warmth underneath Donnie's skin. The fever was concerning, but it wasn't anything to panic about. April made her way to the computer console and switched off the magnet holding the shackles closed allowing the purple-masked turtle to drop forward into his older brothers waiting arms. Leo gently lowered Donnie to the floor as April knelt down with them to help assess her friend's condition.

"Will he be okay?" Raph asked in concern. Leo didn't answer as Donnie quiet breaths started to become audible gasps. The sort of breathing a person would hear from someone who was about to wake up screaming as they come out of a horrible nightmare, his head starting to nod side to side as he began to stir.

"Shhhhh," Leo soothed his second brother as he gently pressed a pressure point at the base of Donnie's neck. "It's all over…just rest." Donnie let out one last gasp before head just turned towards Leo's chest seaming to fall into a peaceful slumber. Leo protectively held his younger brother to him as he once again said in a soft whisper "Just rest…I'm right here." Once he was sure his brother was safely asleep, Leo carefully draped his brother's body over his shell so that he looked as though he was giving his taller younger brother a piggyback ride.

"Let's go," Leo said as he made certain Donnie was secure. "It's time we got out of here." The others nodded and filed out of the room. April picked up the helmet that Donnie had been forced to wear intending to give it to Rockwell to study, maybe there was a way this object that was used to hurt could become an object used to heal.

* * *

Thank you to all the people who have been reading and enjoying this fic thus far. It's certainly been an interesting piece to write and there is more to come.

It would be great to see other people's takes on stories involving Dr. Farrell and his minions in TMNT fics. Information on the RPG character, Dr. Victor Oban Feral and his mutant followers can be found on just so people have a rundown of what these characters are like for their own fics I will provide one here that they can use as they wish.

For people who wonder why I use the name Farrell in my fic and not Feral, it's because the 2012 series did name drop the character as Farrell. However, the characterization was more or less the same even if he wasn't actually seen on screen.

The 2012 TMNT character Dr. Victor Falco is also loosely based on Feral's character if you want a more a visual reference to Farrell as a character.

 **Dr. Victor Oban Feral (or Farrell if you prefer)**

Species: Human

Age: 60

Height: 6' 6"

Role: CEO of Bio-Spawn

On the surface, Feral presents himself as a charming and eloquent gentleman who is benevolent and uses his vast fortune and scientific knowledge as the Chairman of Bio-Spawn to benefit mankind. Even the police are willing to look the other way for his convenience which makes him even more dangerous for mutants. Yet even though he has the clout to get away with some shady dealings he frequently has his servants do the dirty work.

In his mind mutants have no rights so he captures and collects any mutants he comes across. He is dismissive towards animal rights, including Sentient Animals such as mutations. Mutants he sees as useful to him, he keeps alive and studies, while others he leaves for his two servants to torture. But mutants who have high-intellect and/or psychic powers...those he cuts open. Vivisecting them because he feels doing so will further his scientific interests.

 **So, in short, he is like the TMNT equivalent of Josef Mengele, and yes I did a bit of research into Mengele to try and flesh out Farrell as a character in my fic. If you choose to do your own research on him to help build up a character in a fic be it Feral or someone else. All I can say is be careful, because Mengele wasn't nicknamed the Angel of Death for no reason, and a number of his medical experiments would leave you with nightmares.**

 **Karl**

Species: Mutant- Gray Rabbit

Age: 18

Height: 5' 6"

Role: chief laboratory assistant

Weapons: Spiked Brass Knuckles, nunchucks, and an iron-tipped bo staff.

Clothing: Pair of shorts with an over-all bib. Chain wrapped around his waist as a belt. Wears spiked brass knuckles as a means of "disciplining" the lab subjects under Feral's care.

Karl is the chief lab assistant at Bio-Spawn's secret underground facility. He hates his job and hates Feral just a much. The only thing preventing him from leaving is the obedience collar that has been surgically implanted into his neck. However, Karl is anything but a sympathetic character, in fact, he's completely evil and doesn't try to hide it. He's arrogant, mean-spirited, and takes absolute pleasure in watching things suffer. Due to his time at Bio-Spawn he has gained a college-level education and has gained skills as a doctor, computer science with useful knowledge in chemistry, biology, and diagnostics. He tries to maintain a balancing act so he can act intelligent enough to perform his job, but not so intelligent that Feral becomes interested in strapping him to the vivisection table, and he is quick to obey and agree with Feral because he knows his master can kill him instantly.

 **So in other words, if Feral is a complete antithesis of everything Donnie is and stands for. Then Karl is what a completely evil version of Donnie would be like.**

 **Igor**

Species: Mutant-White Rat

Age: 25

Height: 4' 6"

Role: Lab Animal Keeper

Weapons: Hand to Hand

Abilities: Super-strength, advanced hearing, hypnotic suggestion, psychic-power detection, stealth

Clothing: Breechcloth with belt and suspenders. He also has a spiked bracelet on one of his wrists.

Igor is a partial mutation and thus comes across as more animalistic in his appearance, movements, and quality of speech. He is often quiet but he is scheming, treacherous and vindictive, he also possesses a higher intellect than Karl and he also possesses psychic powers. He doesn't have an education like Karl does, but he was smart enough to covertly deactivate his obedience collar. He uses his gifts in mental suggestion to keep Feral from noticing this and has for a number of years. He looks after the animals/mutants who are "guests" of the lab which is something he greatly enjoys as is able to brutalize them and he wouldn't leave Feral's service unless he felt he had to. He also does menial and practical tasks around the lab such as being a mechanic, computer technician, drive the Bio-Spawn van.

One scenario on the RPG game has a storyline called the "Mutantmastering Mind Machine". In this scenario, Feral tries out his Mental Wave for the first time using Igor as a test subject. The mental wave device enables the wearer to gain powerful psionic abilities, all Feral does is use the device to force Igor's body to move at will, but it's enough to scare Igor because he knew if Feral learned of his psychic powers and that he had been psychically manipulating him for years it could earn him a trip to the vivisection table.

 **So basically, he isn't as openly psychotic as Karl, but he still falls in the "Too Dangerous to live as a mutant" category. But the fact he is more of a psychic sociopath rather then just evil one could come up with some interesting scenarios in a 2012 Turtles fanfiction story. Particularly with his psychic manipulation and psychic detection skills, that could be used to create scenarios that force the Turtles and company against each other and such. The partial mutation thing could also become part of why he is so vindictive.**

 **Otto Rattus**

Species: Mutant Rat

Age 42

Height: 6' 3"

Role: Feral's Bodyguard, chauffeur, pilot, and personal assistant

Weapons: Firearms, hand to hand

Abilities: Super strength.

Otto is the only server that Feral has any sort of trust or affection for. Because of this Otto is completely devoted to Feral and will do anything to protect his master and his master's interests. While Otto is, in fact, a Mutant Rat, to the rest of the world he appears as a normal middle-aged man, only mutants are able to tell he isn't a real human. He was originally a loyal pet that Feral had received and was the first creature that Feral ever mutated. Following this Feral put through various surgeries, and modifications to make him appear human. Otto also has super-strength because of various bionic implants. As Feral's bodyguard, he is mean spirited to those he views as his master's enemies, but since he has a public identity, he has to be careful that any atrocities he commits cannot be traced to himself or to Feral. Otto is skilled in various sports, is a modest polyglot, can pilot small aircraft, and a devoted fan of horse racing. He also assists Feral in the underground vivisection lab.

 **The confusing story with this character is that Feral supposedly got him when he was sixteen years old. But since Feral is 66 years of age and Otto is 24 years younger, that would mean Otto would have to be 50 or Feral would have to be 58 in order for that to work. So the only plausible explanation is that Otto was a loyal lab rat that Feral obtained at some point and experimentally mutated. When I originally started writing "We Were Never Brothers," I thought including Otto might come across as too confusing for readers, because you have a rat mutant but he appears human. However, the concept of a Mutant being surgically being altered to appear human is something that would come across as a surprise for the Turtles as that would mean a mutant threat could come from a very unexpected direction.**

 **It's also a concept that would intrigue the Turtle's it gives them a new possibility for them to be mutants, but blend in as humans. While it's something they could extensively consider, I don't think it's a concept they should actively pursue as they wouldn't really be the turtles if they became human.**


	12. We were never brothers(part 12)

**A/N: Hello my readers. As you have likely guessed this is a rewrite of this chapter. There is nothing absolutely wrong with this chapter, but I feel there are elements and conversations that I realize I wasn't ready to bring up just yet. So I decided to revise this particular chapter of this story. Huge thank you to everyone who has been following and favoriting this fanfic. I also enjoy reading feedback on my fics, I can always be messaged if you have any personal questions or concerns about any of my fics.**

* * *

The ride back to the lair was silent, but the tension emanating from those within the Party Wagon was thick enough to cut through with a sharpened katana.

Leo sat at the wheel his eyes focused straight ahead as he drove down the early morning streets of New York City. The sky was still dark, but the horizon was fading to gray signaling the rise of the morning sun. His mind going a mile a minute on everything that had happened to them, and everything that they would still have to face going forward as he and his brothers began to recover from the events of this night.

Raph and Mikey had been left in the care of Slash and the other Mutanimals as they were rescuing the rest of Farrell's prisoners. April had handed the focus helmet that Donnie had been forced to wear to Rockwell as he rejoined his companions. The blue-masked turtle had some idea of the intent behind that but personally he saw it as an object that had been used to hurt one of his brothers and if it was up to him he would have insisted that it was destroyed so it wouldn't hurt another mutant again.

Bishop was sending vans to gather up the prisoners and the wounded and bring them to TCRI. From there their injuries would be tended too and they could decide what they wished to do with their lives. He did catch sight of Ashlyn who mouthed a thank you to him as he continued onward still carrying Donatello on his back.

Mona Lisa had briefly stopped him to ask if Donnie's injuries were serious. Leo had assured her that his second brother wasn't injured…at least not physically injured.

"I don't doubt the medical skills available at TCRI," Leo had stated. "However, I feel it would be easier for him to recover if he's at the Lair, someplace he knows is familiar and safe. Being at TCRI might trigger memories of this place and what he's been through."

The Salamandrian female appeared to understand Leonardo's way of thinking, though she still looked uncertain. Despite this, she agreed to let the leader of the Ninja Turtles continue to carry his sleeping brother with him as he made his way out of the underground lab while April followed close behind.

April knelt on the floor of the Party Wagon, Donatello's head gently cradled in her lap as he seemed to peacefully sleep in the bliss of unconsciousness. Though his cheeks and the bridge of his snout did hold the blush of fever, the soft moan that would periodically escape his slightly parted beak betrayed his peaceful slumber.

The red-haired girl appeared calm keeping her focus on Donatello's sleeping face, one hand gently stroking his hairless scalp. However, there was a burning hatred underneath her somber and quiet demeanor. She felt pain for her friends, for the mutants who suffered under Farrell's control, but mostly she felt pain for someone as gentle-natured as Donatello being tortured in a manner that was indescribable in words.

* * *

The former BMW Van came to a stop as they arrived at the lair. Leo clambered out of the driver's seat and opened the side door of the van.

"How is he?" Leo asked April in concern as he climbed in and knelt by his second brother's side.

"His temperature has gone up since leaving BIO-Spawn," April explained he cerulean blue eyes full of concern. Leo immediately rested the back of his hand against his brother's burning forehead and sighed in dismay as though he expected this. Gathering Donatello into his arms he gingerly crawled out of the vehicle. Cradling his taller brother so that the purple-masked turtles head lightly rested against his shoulder as he slipped past the turnstiles and into lair. April followed instinctively rushing ahead and opening the door of Donatello's bedroom for her blue-masked companion.

"Thanks April," Leo responded, his voice just slightly above a whisper as he entered the room. Donatello's bedroom was the smallest of the four bedrooms, and the most basic in furnishing making it almost resemble an unused college dorm room. All that existed there as a small wood-framed camp bed, a book cased filed with various textbooks and tomes, most of which were based around science, technology, and such. Beside the bed was a wooden desk with a task chair. The only real personalizations aside from the books, were a few framed family photos.

April had used this room herself when Splinter had informed her that she should stay in the lair for her protection. Donnie had willingly offered it for her use at least until another place could be made up for her, To which Raph snidely commented that Donnie may as well permanently move into his lab since he practically lived there anyway.

Leonardo lay his second brother on the bed and tucked the slightly mussed blankets around his brother's body before sitting down on the edge of the mattress watching the purple-masked turtle fitfully sleep.

"You're home D," the blue-masked turtle softly said as he placed a gentle hand on his brother's chest. "You're safe...he can't hurt you anymore."

"I'll get some more blankets," April stated as she turned to leave the room.

* * *

As concerned as she was for her friends, she felt in want of something to occupy herself. She could also sense the distressed helplessness Leo was exuding and that was something that worried her.

Fevers weren't an uncommon affliction with Donnie, as he would get stress-related fevers from time to time. Particularly during times he had worked himself to the point of exhaustion in his lab or he was too distressed by something that was going on in their battles against the Kraang or the Foot Clan. Nosebleeds and headaches were also stress-related afflictions that happened as well, that was usually when he was worked up about something. Or it was because of overall frustration caused by Raph and Mikey.

However, this psychogenic fever was different from others as it was based on trauma. A trauma no living person should ever have to experience. It was only natural Leo would feel at a loss as to what should be done, particularly if Raph's explanation of what Farrell had been doing was true. From all accounts it seemed it was, which meant things were bad...really bad.

They had dealt with mind assaults before but mostly that had been mind control or manipulations.…the closest they had come to something like this had been with Mikey when the Neutrino's had invaded his mind. However, they had gotten to Mikey and defeated the Neutrinio's before they could do any real damage.

Unfortunately, what Donnie had experienced was someone indiscriminately tearing through his mind. Ripping through memories, finding facts, and tidbits they could use for their own ends. Something like that would be difficult even for Splinter himself to withstand. The closest thing April could have compared Donnie's experience to was when Za-naron had possessed her.

While she truly believed the crystal the Aeons had given her had been the gift it was meant to be. They unfortunately had not accounted for the levels of corruption that existed in worlds outside their planet. If they had known would they have been so open to giving her that piece of the Soul Star? She didn't know.

Donnie had been studying her psychic powers as part of helping her learn what sort of powers she possessed and her training with Splinter did help her focus her mind. As grateful as she was for their help, neither of them could officially teach her how to fully control her psychic gifts. With the crystal April could feel the being that existed within it and had felt like she had a friend and a teacher. Someone who could truly help her learn how to control the latent psychic powers she had from the Kraang DNA that flowed in her veins. As well as someone she could relay her secrets to, things that she felt could only be shared between females. The Aeon may have truly been a friend in the beginning, but as they traveled through space and faced many different foes. Za-naron was slowly weedling her way into April's mind and taking control. The first warning signs had been headaches and unexpected levels hostility not just people who were enemies but to those she saw as friends.

"They are against you," The Aeon would begin whispering in her mind. "They want to take me from you, do not let them." She had wanted to resist and tell her they were well-meaning and were only concerned, however, the Aeon's control was too strong. "They don't understand the bond between us," the Aeon would continue to whisper. "They don't understand it and so they fear it and fear you because of it. The turtle who says he is your friend has severed you from me before and his brother has used my power for his own ends. They will take me from you again and when that happens everything I have given you will be taken as well."

It was only when Za-naron fully possessed her that she regretted the moment she had even received the crystal. Hurting Splinter who was already weak and injured following their encounter with the Super Shredder. Psychically strangling Donnie when he came in stop what was going on before collapsing the ceiling of the lair on them both as she made her escape. When she encountered the other turtles it was like she had just woken up from a dreamless sleep. The last thing she remembered was being in the Lab with Donnie and Leo and then suddenly she was out on the streets of New York with no idea as to how she even got there. Reality came to her in bursts of consciousness. Then it was like her mind would take a back seat as someone else took control.

"Why do you fight me, I made you who you are?" The Aeon demanded. "Those creatures aren't your friends, they only wanted to hold you back from your true potential. They want you to be as you were before I came into your life. I kept them alive because they matter to you, don't expect me to be so merciful forever."

The Aeon made true on her threat the moment Donnie arrived at the top of the Channel Six news building. Her heart felt elated as she heard his voice allowing her momentarily to break free of the Aeon's control. However, she could feel Za-naron's anger as a result of it, she grasped her head as a she felt a strong force regain control only this time...this time the Aeon maintained her presence so that she was able to see what was about to happen.

"No, don't hurt him," April protested to the Aeon.

"The fool insisted on interfering," Za-naran screeched in anger. "Now you will see what happens to those that dare to defy me. Let this be a lesson to his companions as well." The next thing she knew was Donnie giving a strangled cry as he was pulled into the sky with her. Leo and the others calling out their brothers name as they rushed to his aid, but it was all in vain. April struggled against the Aeon, trying to prevent her from doing what she intended to do. Donnie yelled encouragingly telling her to not give up. The Aeon, unfortunately, was too strong. She could only sadly look at him one last time before she tearfully said "I'm sorry."

The whole horrific event was over in moments. Donnie exploded into a cloud of purple dust that was swiftly blown away by the wind as a storm raged above them. The whole thing felt like a dream, she felt numb all over like she was in another plane of existence. As she regained herself she found the nightmare she was living was a reality. How could she face her companions after what she had done? How could she face Splinter, knowing that one of his sons had been slain by her hand? If she did break free from Za-naron's control, even if they could forgive her, even if they told her she was not at fault. She would know to the end of her days that Donatello was gone and it was because of her.

The others had helped her break free, first with Raph telling her to remember Donnie. That gave her the strength to fight the Aeon, while Leo told her that she alone had the power to destroy the crystal. This freed the Aeon, who she quickly slew with the sword Splinter had given her when she was welcomed as a full Kunoichi. She was free, but Donnie had paid the ultimate price for her. All because he wanted to help her...all because he loved her. All of it was her fault, how could they want her now. In their eyes she will always be the girl who took their brother from them, because she was too foolish to listen to reason. If she had heeded their warnings that the crystal was negatively affecting her, then maybe... Glancing up she saw a sparkle of purple near the remains of the soul star as if waiting for her to notice it. Her heart had lept in her chest, that had to be Donnie...or at least part of him. He wasn't dead he had only been molecularly scattered. If she could use the crystal's shards as a focal point, perhaps she could restore him and have everything be as it once was. She poured all her energy calling numerous points of light to her. Hundreds of millions of pieces that coalesced into the single form of Donatello. Joyfully she rushed into his arms glad to have him back before she passed out in exhaustion.

The aftermath of this event was another nightmare altogether. April had found herself frequently exhausted and weakened to the point of illness. She also found herself having nightmares about what transpired. Often she would wake up screaming in her sleep which would result in Donnie scrambling into her room to help her calm down. She wouldn't talk about what she would see in her dreams, instead, she just curled in his arms and softly cried taking comfort in knowing that he was there and alive. When she had exhausted herself with her tears she would settle back to sleep, though there were times she would notice he would appear worried as he left. She was never certain as to why, perhaps he was concerned that he wasn't able to help ease the terrors that plagued her mind. Though it was also possible he was also suffering his own torment about the events that had transpired.

April often found herself worried about him and what he was going through, after all being blown into numerous particles was not something someone could just experience without being affected by it. Donnie had no memory of the event or so he claimed. Though the way Leo and Mikey would side-eye one another and the way everyone would occasionally glance at him suggested that they had a feeling he remembered more than he was choosing to let on. Still, even if he didn't have any actual memory beyond what his brothers had informed him, he still had to have a subconscious memory of it. The others didn't exactly voice their concerns about this since pushing him on the issue could do more harm than good. Still, it was just as dangerous to just wait for Donnie to approach them when he was ready because he had a notorious habit of hiding things to keep his brothers and father from worrying about him. Bottling up his problems and pretending they didn't exist. Some of these issues he was able to deal with constructively through working in his lab. However, the ones he wasn't able to deal with sooner or later would become too much for him to hold back. When those issues finally blew they could only pray they were able to pick up the pieces.

Reaching the linen closet April proceeded to pull out an armload of quilts and blankets. Out of the corner of her eye she noticed Leo walk past her as he went to the kitchen to get an ice pack. She was just starting back to the dorms when a loud cry came from Donnie's room. April was so startled that she almost dropped the blankets she was holding. Leo also stopped in his tracks and turned in a rush back to his brothers room, April quickly followed in concern.

* * *

The two of them arrived to find Donatello thrashing around in the clutches of feverish delirium.

"No…" A frightened moan escaped Donatello's beak. "No...don...don't leave...please, don't leave me alone." Instinctively Leo rushed forward. Dropping to one knee at his brother's bedside he pulled the feverish turtleinto a fierce embrace; wincing as the heat of his second brother's flesh burned against him. The taller turtle continued to thrash about in panic at the restraining arms wrapped around him.

"Shhhh" Leo soothed as he continued to hold his brother tightly against him. "You're not alone, Don. I'm right here...I'm not going anywhere."

"No...please…" Donnie continued to whimper in his sleep, though the panic was starting to subside.

"Shhhh," Leo calmly soothed as he began running one hand in comforting circles along Donnie's shell. "I'm right here, D."

"Don't...don't leave…"Donnie continued to refrain though his voice had become a broken whisper as he fell back into slumber once again.

"I'm not going anywhere," Leo responded as he gently lay Donatello back down along the bed.

"What was that," April asked in concern. Leo shook his head as he got up from where knelt on the floor before he sat down in the desk chair. His ocean blue eyes never leaving his brothers sleeping face.

"I wish I could tell you," Leo sighed as his shoulders slumped in despair. "I've never seen anything like this."

"What about what he was saying," April suggested. "Does the words 'Don't leave me alone' hold any meaning." Leo didn't answer as he seemed to ponder her question. Suddenly something came to his mind.

"Those were the first words he ever said," Leo explained as his gaze turned to her. He appeared to give a small smile as though the memory was a happy one. Though he also felt saddened by it as well. "When the four of us were little, Donnie was the only one of us who wasn't able to talk. He could communicate, but not in words. One day when we had been playing out in the sewers he wandered away from the rest of us. It was only when we were returning to the lair I noticed he was missing and I told Raph and Mikey I would go back and look for him. I found him back where we had been playing and those words were the first thing he said when he saw me."

"It feels like all the times Donnie's been hurt most is the times when he's been alone," April commented.

"Yeah…" Leo sighed despondently again as he returned his attention to his brother's unconscious form. "And the times he is hurt when we are there we may as well be absent. Or…" The blue-masked turtle paused as he looked at his hands a moment as though seeing them stained with his own brother's blood. "Or he's hurt by those who matter to him most of all."

"Would you like me to stay here while you get an ice pack for him," April asks as she put down the blankets she finally remembered she had been holding.

"No," Leo responded."I need to stay with Donnie.

"Alright," the red-head acquiesced. "But you should still get some rest, all of you have been through a lot over the past several hours."

"I will when I hear from Raph and Mikey," Leo stated.

"Okay," April sighed. "I'll go get an ice pack for D before I go to bed."

"Thanks April," Leo responded, though he did not look up at her or acknowledge that she had left. Reaching out he lightly stroked his brother's sleeping face. Donnie unconsciously leaned into his brothers touch as though sensing he was with someone who he loved and trusted. Gently Leonardo cupped his brother's cheek only to quickly move it away as though burned when Donnie immediately cringed away.

"What did he do to you Don," Leo softly asked as he eyed Donnie in concern. The times when Donnie had been ill, he had always given a cat-like response of leaning his into his brother's hand as an act of trust. By cringing away that meant his brother associated it with pain and torture which ment that has to be something Farrell had done as a mocking gesture. Leo's fists clenched in anger at that. He really hoped that wherever Farrell was, that he stayed away from New York for a very, very, long time.

The only good things to happen was that the other mutants who were being victimized by Farrell and his goons were free and that Farrell's servants were gone. In all honesty, Leo hadn't liked the idea of killing Karl and Igor. They had been too dangerous to remain mutants to be sure, and if it were up to him he would have had them both doused with retromutagen so that way they returned to be regular animals. Unfortunately, given the circumstances, they didn't have much of a choice.

However, while they were gone that didn't mean that Farrell couldn't create another Karl and Igor. Given access to mutagen, he could create a whole bunch of mutant servants to do his bidding. Of course there were sociopathic mutants in the world such as Fishface who wouldn't give any qualms about hurting other mutants for their own amusement. Any of them could be all too willing to join Farrell if he offered them the incentive.

As for his victims, while the bunch Farrell had were safe at TCRI and they would be free to decide their lives. Those that decided to remain mutants, but not as members of the Mutanimals could be rounded up and experimented on again. Then there was the question of what Farrell was actually able to glean from Donnie's mind. Donnie had fought him and he had said as much during that interim between the two torture sessions. Still Farrell had to have gained at least something he could use, after all he had managed to gain information about April being a half-human and half Utrom and knowledge about Retromutagen just by drugging Mikey. What did the crazed human actually manage to cleave from Donnie's brain?

What was worse he didn't know how badly Farrell had damaged Donnie's mind in order to obtain this information. It didn't take very long to destroy a person's mind, just a span of minutes at least. He wouldn't be able to know what damages had even been done or if any of it could be fixed if at all. It was possible to use meditation to enter someone's mind. Unfortunately, that was an advanced skill that Splinter hadn't been able to teach him before his death. Even if he did know how to enter Donnie's mind, he didn't want to attempt it without his permission. Considering what Farrell had even done, he felt it was essential to have Donnie's permission, otherwise, he would be no better than that evil man himself.

April returned with an ice pack and carefully laid it against Donnie's burning scalp hoping it would help calm his temperature.

"I got a call from Slash," April stated. Leo's shoulders rounded resentfully, while the larger mutant turtle had become a useful ally that didn't mean he had forgiven him for how he had hurt Donnie and Mikey after he had been mutated. "He said Raph, Mikey, and Casey are doing well, they should be able to be discharged from TCRI's medical floors later today."

"That's great," Leo responded glad to have some good news.

"You sure you don't want me to watch over Donnie," April asked. "He won't recover from that nerve pinch you used for at least another three hours."

"I'll go get some rest," Leo sighed as he got up and stretched before he started for his room. "Let me know if there is any change in his condition."

"I will," April answered as she sat down on the bed beside Donnie taking one of his much larger hands into both of her own.

* * *

Opening the door to his own room Leo looked around. Everything around it was familiar to him, the Space Heroes posters on the walls, the action figures, even his comic books. The Japanese wall scrolls he had taken from Splinter's room when they finally got around to clearing it, the decorative sword display. The futon resting in the wooden platform bed.

If almost felt like two halves of two worlds, the mindset and interests of the child he had once been and the trappings of the adult he had become. As familiar as this room was...it just didn't feel like home anymore. This place, this lair would always be a home since it is where their childhoods and memories resided. But over the past year, ever since Splinter had been murdered, it had started to feel less and less like home to all of them. They clung to this place because it was the only home and for the longest time the only world they had known. Lately, he had noticed changes in his brothers demeanor, such as Raph going up to the surface with Casey more and more frequently. The two of them carousing among the rooftops. On several occasions, Raph had returned to the lair stinking drunk and promptly passed out in a heap in the family area of the lair. Donnie had been locking himself in his lab more than he normally did, sometimes he would be so engrossed in something it would be a handful of days before he joined them during training or for evening patrol. Other times he would be out gathering supplies. April occasionally would join him on these ventures. Mikey was more content to pretend things weren't changing, but if the conversations Leo had heard him having with Ice Cream Kitty were any indication his youngest brother was well aware that life as they knew it was shifting.

Leo settled down under his futon quilt but didn't fall asleep. He knew in his heart, the time had come for them to start going their separate ways. They had celebrated their 19th mutation day just a few months back, if you could call it a celebration. There wasn't an actual party, they just acknowledged that they had aged another year and went about the rest of their day as usual because someone who should have been there to celebrate that day was gone. It just felt like there was little point in celebrating the day without him. In a matter of months, from now they would be 20, no longer teenagers...no longer children. In one of Splinter's journals, he had noticed their Sensei had contemplated the concept of sending them out on training journey's when he felt they no longer required his teaching. This was what Leo was considering, they were Jonin now, at least that was what Splinter had said they were. But did they actually reach their final dan, or did he just tell them that they had succeeded his training because he knew he would die soon and he wanted to pass them to the final rank while he still could? As liberating as it was to be told he had become a master ninja, the whole thing just didn't feel earned.

Just look at the test they had to learn before they had undergone to even earn the title of ninja. They had been going through a training scenario when Splinter appeared them disguised as a Tengoo. They had taken him on individually and were defeated one by one. When they woke up it was to find they were all trapped in cages. It was when Leo pointed out when they should check that the cages were even locked that they found themselves separated to different parts of the sewers. It was only that they reunited that they used their individual skills together as a team to defeat the Tengoo. It was then Splinter revealed himself to them and told them that they were now Ninja. Perhaps the training journeys had been Splinter's final test to prove they had reached the last dan.

In either case, this whole thing with Farrell hindered any thought of them considering a training journey now. Raph and Mikey will be shaken but they should have little problem in recovering. Donnie, on the other hand, was another manner. The fever he was suffering from now was only the tip of the iceberg. What worried him more was what came after the fever. The foe they faced came from Donatello's field of expertise and was the complete antithesis of everything he is and stands for. Closing his eyes Leonardo rolled onto his side, silently wishing that Splinter was still alive. He would have known what to do.


End file.
